Mercury and Organic Pollutants Removal from Aqueous Solutions by Heterogeneous Photocatalysis with ZnO-Based Materials.

The removal of four Contaminants of Emerging Concern, namely bisphenol A, sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac and benzotriazole; two odorous compounds, geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol, frequently detected in recirculating aquaculture systems; and Hg(II) was investigated using ZnO-based materials doped or co-doped with Ce and Cu under simulated solar radiation. Photocatalysts were synthetized via a hydrothermal route and their efficiency was assessed by changing some operational parameters in different water matrices of increasing complexity. The mixture of contaminants was successfully degraded in just 1 h, while the complete mineralization was achieved in a few hours; experiments performed in an actual aquaculture water confirmed the efficiency and broad versatility of the synthesized materials.

Photocatalytic abatement of emerging pollutants in pure water and wastewater effluent by TiO2 and Ce-ZnO: degradation kinetics and assessment of transformation products.

Here, the performances of two different catalysts, Ce-ZnO and TiO2 synthetized in our laboratories, were compared with the commercial TiO2-P25 for degradation of a mixture of seven emerging pollutants under UV irradiation. The investigation included monitoring pollutants abatement in Milli-Q water and in wastewater effluent and identifying their transformation products by HPLC-HRMS. Structural characterization of intermediates supported by data available from literature allowed elucidation of the transformation pathways occurring in the presence of all investigated catalysts in the wastewater effluent. Preliminary results showed a good removal efficacy for almost all examined contaminants, even in real water matrix (i.e. wastewater effluent). The type of matrix and catalyst affects the number and/or the abundance of transformation products, which suggests differences in their transformation routes.

Considerations about the Determination of the Depolarization Calibration Profile of a Two-Telescope Lidar and Its Implications for Volume Depolarization Ratio Retrieval.

We propose a new method for calculating the volume depolarization ratio of light backscattered by the atmosphere and a lidar system that employs an auxiliary telescope to detect the depolarized component. It takes into account the possible error in the positioning of the polarizer used in the auxiliary telescope. The theory of operation is presented and then applied to a few cases for which the actual position of the polarizer is estimated, and the improvement of the volume depolarization ratio in the molecular region is quantified. In comparison to the method used before, i.e., without correction, the agreement between the volume depolarization ratio with correction and the theoretical value in the molecular region is improved by a factor of 2⁻2.5.

An Architecture Providing Depolarization Ratio Capability for a Multi-Wavelength Raman Lidar: Implementation and First Measurements.

A new architecture for the measurement of depolarization produced by atmospheric aerosols with a Raman lidar is presented. The system uses two different telescopes: one for depolarization measurements and another for total-power measurements. The system architecture and principle of operation are described. The first experimental results are also presented, corresponding to a collection of atmospheric conditions over the city of Barcelona.

Post-transcriptional regulation of connexins.

Gap junctions allow intercellular communication. Their structural subunits are four-transmembrane proteins named connexins (Cxs), which can be post-transcriptionally regulated by developmental and cellular signalling cues. Cx translation and mRNA stability is regulated by miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) such as human antigen R (HuR). In addition, several Cxs have also been suggested to contain 5' internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements that are thought to allow cap-independent translation in situations such as mitosis, stress and senescence. Furthermore, several recent reports have documented internal translation of Cx mRNAs that result in N-terminally truncated protein isoforms that may have unique gap junction-independent functions [Ul-Hussain et al. (2008) BMC Mol. Biol. 9, 52; Smyth and Shaw (2013) Cell Rep. 5, 611-618; Salat-Canela et al. (2014) Cell Commun. Signal. 12, 31; Ul-Hussain et al. (2014) J. Biol. Chem. 289, 20979-20990]. This review covers the emerging field of the post-transcriptional regulation of Cxs, with particular focus on the translational control of Cx 43 and its possible functional consequences.

Comparison of epidemiology and clinical characteristics of infections by human parechovirus vs. those by enterovirus during the first month of life.

UNLABELLED: Human parechoviruses (HPeV) have been recently recognized as important viral agents in paediatric infections. The aims of this study were to investigate the HPeV infection prevalence in infants <1 month in Spain and, secondly, to analyse the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the infected patients compared with those infected by enterovirus (EV). Infants <1 month with neurological or systemic symptoms were included in a multicentre prospective study. EV and HPeV detection by RT-PCR and genotyping were performed in cerebrospinal fluids (CSF), sera or throat swabs. Out of the total of 84 infants studied during 2013, 32 were EV positive (38 %) and 9 HPeV positive (11 %). HPeV-3 was identified in eight cases and HPeV-5 in one. Mean age of HPeV-positive patients was 18 days. Diagnoses were fever without source (FWS) (67 %), clinical sepsis (22 %) and encephalitis (11 %). Leukocytes in blood and CSF were normal. Pleocytosis (p = 0.03) and meningitis (p = 0.001) were significantly more frequent in patients with EV infections than with HPeV. CONCLUSIONS: Although HPeV-3 infections were detected less frequently than EV, they still account for approximately 10 % of the cases analysed in infants younger than 1 month. HPeV-3 was mainly associated with FWS and without leukocytosis and pleocytosis in CSF. In these cases, HPeV screening is desirable to identify the aetiologic agent and prevent unnecessary treatment and prolonged hospitalization.

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) of ICD-11 in youths with childhood maltreatment: Associations with age of exposure and clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to childhood maltreatment (CM) increases the risk of psychiatric morbidity in youths. The new Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) diagnosis captures the heterogeneity and complexity of clinical outcomes observed in youths exposed to CM. This study explores CPTSD symptomatology and its association with clinical outcomes, considering the impact of CM subtypes and age of exposure. METHODS: Exposure to CM and clinical outcomes were evaluated in 187 youths aged 7-17 (116 with psychiatric disorder; 71 healthy controls) following the Tools for Assessing the Severity of Situations in which Children are Vulnerable (TASSCV) structured interview criteria. CPTSD symptomatology was explored by confirmatory factor analysis, considering four subdomains: post-traumatic stress symptoms, emotion dysregulation, negative self-concept and interpersonal problems. RESULTS: Youths exposed to CM (with or without psychiatric disorders) showed greater internalizing, externalizing and other symptomatology, worse premorbid adjustment and poorer overall functioning. Youth with psychiatric disorder and exposed to CM reported more CPTSD symptomatology, psychiatric comorbidity and polypharmacy and earlier onset of cannabis use. Different subtypes of CM and the developmental stage of exposure differentially impact CPTSD subdomains. LIMITATIONS: Small percentage of resilient youths was studied. It was not possible to explore specific interactions between diagnostic categories and CM. Direct inference cannot be assumed. CONCLUSIONS: Gathering information on type and age of exposure to CM is clinically useful to understand the complexity of psychiatric symptoms observed in youths. Inclusion of the CPTSD diagnosis should increase the implementation of early specific interventions, improving youths' functioning and reducing the severity of clinical outcomes.

Is the CAT questionnaire sensitive to changes in health status in patients with severe COPD exacerbations?

The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) was validated in English showing good psychometric properties. The objective of this study is to assess the capacity of the CAT to detect changes in health status in patients experiencing COPD exacerbations (ECOPD) and to further explore the validity of the Spanish version. An observational study was conducted in 49 Spanish centres. Patients hospitalised because of ECOPD (n = 224) completed the CAT, the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire-adapted for COPD (SGRQ-C) and the London Chest Activities of Daily Living (LCADL) questionnaire during the first 48 hours of admission and 4 ± 1 weeks after discharge. Stable patients (n = 153) also completed these at recruitment and 4 ± 1 weeks later. Over 90% of patients were male. The CAT discriminated between stable and ECOPD patients (15.8 vs 22.4, p < 0.01), as well as between patients with different levels of airflow limitation and dyspnea (MRC scale). The CAT proved sensitive to change; change in mean score was 8.9 points (effect size (ES), 0.90) in ECOPD patients reporting their health state as "much better" after discharge, 4.8 points in those reporting "quite a lot better" (ES = 0.63), and 4.6 points in those reporting "slightly better" (ES = 0.59). Cronbach's alpha and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient were 0.86 and 0.83, respectively. It correlated with both the SGRQ (r = 0.82; p < 0.01) and the LCADL (r = 0.63; p < 0.01). Change in CAT correlated well with Δ SGRQ (r = 0.63; p < 0.01). The CAT showed to be sensitive to the change in health status associated with ECOPD. We also provide evidence of the validity of the Spanish version.

Overcoming Paradoxical Kinase Priming by a Novel MNK1 Inhibitor.

Targeting the kinases MNK1 and MNK2 has emerged as a valuable strategy in oncology. However, most of the advanced inhibitors are acting in an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-competitive mode, precluding the evaluation of different binding modes in preclinical settings. Using rational design, we identified and validated the 4,6-diaryl-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-3-amine scaffold as the core for MNK inhibitors. Signaling pathway analysis confirmed a direct effect of the hit compound EB1 on MNKs, and in line with the reported function of these kinases, EB1 only affects the growth of tumor but not normal cells. Molecular modeling revealed the binding of EB1 to the inactive conformation of MNK1 and the interaction with the specific DFD motif. This novel mode of action appears to be superior to the ATP-competitive inhibitors, which render the protein in a pseudo-active state. Overcoming this paradoxical activation of MNKs by EB1 represents therefore a promising starting point for the development of a novel generation of MNK inhibitors.

UV-Cured Chitosan and Gelatin Hydrogels for the Removal of As(V) and Pb(II) from Water.

In this study, new photocurable biobased hydrogels deriving from chitosan and gelatin are designed and tested as sorbents for As(V) and Pb(II) removal from water. Those renewable materials were modified by a simple methacrylation reaction in order to make them light processable. The success of the reaction was evaluated by both 1H-NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The reactivity of those formulations was subsequently investigated by a real-time photorheology test. The obtained hydrogels showed high swelling capability reaching up to 1200% in the case of methacrylated gelatin (GelMA). Subsequently, the Z-potential of the methacrylated chitosan (MCH) and GelMA was measured to correlate their electrostatic surface characteristics with their adsorption properties for As(V) and Pb(II). The pH of the solutions proved to have a huge influence on the As(V) and Pb(II) adsorption capacity of the obtained hydrogels. Furthermore, the effect of As(V) and Pb(II) initial concentration and contact time on the adsorption capability of MCH and GelMA were investigated and discussed. The MCH and GelMA hydrogels demonstrated to be promising sorbents for the removal of heavy metals from polluted waters.

Caffeine, D-glucuronolactone and Taurine Content in Energy Drinks: Exposure and Risk Assessment.

The consumption of energy drinks (EDs) is increasing globally while the evidence and concern about the potential health risks are also growing. Caffeine (generally 32 mg/100 mL) together with a wide variety of other active components such as taurine (usually 4000 mg/L) and D-glucuronolactone (generally 2400 mg/L) are the main ingredients of EDs. This study aims to assess the exposures to caffeine, taurine and D-glucuronolactone from EDs in various consumption scenarios and consumer profiles and to characterize the risks by evaluating caffeine and taurine intakes with their reference values and by calculating the margin of safety (MOS) for D-glucuronolactone. While the exposure assessment results showed that caffeine intakes from EDs ranged from 80 to 160 mg (1.14-4 mg/kg b.w.) for the considered scenarios, the risk characterization estimated some risks that could be managed with consumption recommendations such as limiting EDs in 40, 60 and 80 kg b.w. consumers to 175, 262.5 and 350 mL, respectively, to prevent sleep disturbances and to 375, 562.5 and 750 mL to prevent general caffeine adverse health risks, respectively. Dietary exposure to D-glucuronolactone from EDs ranged from 600 to 1200 mg (7.5-30 mg/kg b.w.). As D-glucuronolactone MOS ≥ 100 is only observed when EDs consumption is limited to 250 mL, for individuals weighing above 60 kg, some risks were observed in some of the studied scenarios. A taurine exposure from EDs varied from 1000 to 2000 mg (12.5-50 mg/kg b.w.) and consumptions over 500 mL were estimated to generate intakes above the reference value. In conclusion, the management of these risks requires a European legal framework for EDs with maximum limits for the active components, volume size limitations and labeling improvements along with the development of education and awareness programs and risk communication actions in collaboration with the industry and society.

Effects of Nori- and Wakame-enriched meats with or without supplementary cholesterol on arylesterase activity, lipaemia and lipoproteinaemia in growing Wistar rats.

Some seaweeds exert antioxidant and hypocholesterolaemic properties. The effects of diets including restructured meats (RM) containing Wakame (W) or Nori (N) algae on arylesterase (AE) activity and lipoprotein concentration and composition were tested. In the present study, six groups of ten male growing Wistar rats each were fed a mix of 85 % AIN-93M diet and 15 % freeze-dried RM for 35 d. The control group (C) consumed control RM, the W and N groups consumed RM with 5 % W and 5 % N, respectively. The cholesterol-enriched C (CC), W (CW) and N (CN) groups consumed their corresponding basal diets with supplementary cholesterol (2·43 %) and cholic acid (0·49 %). Cholesterol in the diet induced lower (P < 0·001) growth ratios. Both W and N diets significantly increased AE activity. VLDL-cholesterol values were lower in N rats than in W rats. AE activity increased (P < 0·001) in CC and CW rats but not in CN rats compared with their corresponding counterparts. AE was lower (P < 0·05) in the CN group than in the CC and CW groups. The CN diet partially blocked (P < 0·001) the hypercholesterolaemic induction observed in CC and CW diets and reduced TAG levels (at least P < 0·05) with respect to those of CC rats. Although dietary cholesterol supplementation increased total cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol and (intermediate-density lipoprotein+LDL)-cholesterol (all P < 0·001) in all rats, the CN diet moderately improved the lipoprotein profile of hypercholesterolaemic rats. Changes in AE activity and plasma cholesterol in CN rats but not in CW rats suggest a possible relationship between the two parameters. It is concluded that inclusion of RM enriched with N may be used in hypercholesterolaemic diets to improve lipoprotein metabolism.

Baseline determination in social, health, and genetic areas in communities affected by glyphosate aerial spraying on the northeastern Ecuadorian border.

The northeastern Ecuadorian border has undergone aerial spraying with an herbicide mix that contains surfactants and adjuvants, executed by the Colombian Government. The purpose of this study was to diagnose social, health, and genetic aspects of the people affected by glyphosate. For this objective to be achieved, 144 people were interviewed, and 521 medical diagnoses and 182 peripheral blood samples were obtained. Genotyping of GSTP1 Ile105Val, GPX-1 Pro198Leu, and XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphisms were analyzed, using PCR-RFLP technique. The assessment of chromosomal aberrations was performed, obtaining 182 karyotypes. Malnutrition in children was 3%. Of the total population, 7.7% had children with malformations, and the percentage of abortions was 12.7%. Concerning genotyping, individuals with GSTP1 Val/Val obtained an odds ratio of 4.88 (p < 0.001), and Ile/Val individuals, together with Val/Val individuals, had an odds ratio of 2.6 (p < 0.05). In addition, GPX-1 Leu/Leu individuals presented an odds ratio (OR) of 8.5 (p < 0.05). Regarding karyotyping, the 182 individuals had normal karyotypes. In conclusion, the study population did not present significant chromosomal and DNA alterations. The most important social impact was fear. We recommend future prospective studies to assess the communities.

[Hypovitaminosis D in pediatric patients on renal replacement therapy]. / Hipovitaminosis D en pacientes pediátricos en terapia de sustitución renal.

BACKGROUND: Hypovitaminosis D has a high prevalence among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). AIM: To determine the prevalence of 25 hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH) D) insufficiency and deficiency in pediatric patients on dialysis and kidney transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Serum calcium and phosphorus, parathormone (PTH), alkaline phosphatases and 25 (OH)D were measured in 13 children on hemodialysis (HD), 18 on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and 53 that received an allograft (Tx), aged 9.8 ± 4.6 years (51% females). RESULTS: Fifty four percent of patients had height Z score less than -1.88. Patients on HD had the lowest values. The average time of replacement therapy was 2.9 ± 2.8 years. Mean 25(OH)D levels in all was 18.7 ± 10.7ng/ml (HD: 21 ± 16.8, PD: 18.9 ± 8.5, Tx: 18.1 ± 9.72 ng/ml). Eighty eight percent of patients had levels below 30 ng/ml. Mean of serum calcium was 9.5 ± 0.64 mg/dl, serum phosphorus 5.03 ± 1.02 mg/dl, calcium-phosphorus product 48 ± 11.8 mg/dl and alkaline phosphatases 300.5 ± 171.3 IU/L. Average PTH values in dialyzed and Tx patients were 724.6 ± 640.5 and 107.7 ± 56.2 pg/ml, respectively (p < 0.001). A positive correlation between 25 (OH) D and calcium levels among PD patients was observed (r = 0.490, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Hypovitaminosis D is highly prevalent among children on renal substitution therapy, regardless of the type of therapy used and the stage of renal failure.

Real world effectiveness of standard of care triple therapy versus two-drug combinations for treatment of people living with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Since 1996, the standard of care (SOC) therapy for HIV treatment has consisted of a backbone of two nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) paired with a third agent. Use of two-drug combinations (2DC) has been considered for selected patients to avoid toxicities associated with the use of NRTIs. This study aimed to compare the real-world outcomes of integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-containing triple therapy (TT) to dolutegravir- (DTG) and/or boosted protease inhibitor (bPI)-based 2DC in a large Spanish cohort of HIV patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using data from the VACH cohort, a prospective multicentre Spanish cohort of adult HIV patients. All treatment experienced patients initiating a TT of an INSTI combined with two NRTIs or a 2DC-containing DTG and/or a bPI between 01/01/2012 and 01/06/2017 were included. The unit of analysis was patient-regimens. The overall sample analysis was complemented with two sub-analyses. The first sub-analysis focused on patients treated with a backbone plus DTG compared to those treated with DTG+ one other antiretroviral. The second sub-analysis focused on patients with HIV RNA<50 copies/mL at baseline, irrespective of the regimen used. The following endpoints were assessed: time to discontinuation for any reason, time to switch due to virologic failure, and time to switch due to toxicity (reasons for discontinuation according to clinician report in the database). Time-to-event analyses were conducted using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression models. RESULTS: Overall 7,481 patients were included in the analysis, contributing to 9,243 patient-regimens. Patient characteristics at baseline differed among groups, with the 2DC group being significantly older and having a higher proportion of women, a longer time on ART and a higher number of previous virologic failures. Median (95% Confidence Interval [C.I.]) time to switch was 2.5 years (2.3, 2.7) in 2DC group versus 2.9 years (2.7, 3.0) in TT. Adjusted hazard ratios (95% C.I.) for discontinuation due to any reason, virologic failure and toxicity in the 2DC vs TT group were 1.29 (1.15; 1.44), 2.06 (1.54; 2.77) and 1.18 (0.94; 1.48), respectively. Results were consistent in the two sub-analyses. CONCLUSION: In this analysis, time to discontinuation and probability of remaining free of virologic failure were significantly higher in patients on INSTI-based TT compared to DTG- and/or bPI-containing 2DC, with no differences in toxicity.

Functional Meat Products as Oxidative Stress Modulators: A Review.

High meat consumption has been associated with increased oxidative stress mainly due to the generation of oxidized compounds in the body, such as malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxy-nonenal, oxysterols, or protein carbonyls, which can induce oxidative damage. Meat products are excellent matrices for introducing different bioactive compounds, to obtain functional meat products aimed at minimizing the pro-oxidant effects associated with high meat consumption. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the concept and preparation of healthy and functional meat, which could benefit antioxidant status. Likewise, the key strategies regarding meat production and storage as well as ingredients used (e.g., minerals, polyphenols, fatty acids, walnuts) for developing these functional meats are detailed. Although most effort has been made to reduce the oxidation status of meat, newly emerging approaches also aim to improve the oxidation status of consumers of meat products. Thus, we will delve into the relation between functional meats and their health effects on consumers. In this review, animal trials and intervention studies are discussed, ascertaining the extent of functional meat products' properties (e.g., neutralizing reactive oxygen species formation and increasing the antioxidant response). The effects of functional meat products in the frame of diet-gene interactions are analyzed to 1) discover target subjects that would benefit from their consumption, and 2) understand the molecular mechanisms that ensure precision in the prevention and treatment of diseases, where high oxidative stress takes place. Long-term intervention-controlled studies, testing different types and amounts of functional meat, are also necessary to ascertain their positive impact on degenerative diseases.

Frequency of polymorphisms pro198leu in GPX-1 gene and ile58thr in MnSOD gene in the altitude Ecuadorian population with bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer represents 8% of all malignancies diagnosed in men and 3% in women. The risk factors for developing bladder cancer, including the incidence rate, morbidity, and mortality, vary according to the ethnic group, exposition rate at work, age, gender, and tobacco consumption. Moreover, there is a risk of developing this carcinoma due to dietary conditions, demonstrating that certain enzymes neutralize oxidative compound derivative of carcinogens, which if not degraded, accumulate in the body and destroy epithelial cells of the bladder, causing an increase in the risk of developing this disease. The detoxifying enzymes inactivate dangerous chemical compounds and anions for the cell; that is, why it is important to know if the polymorphisms pro198leu in GPX-1 and ile58thr in MnSOD are associated with bladder cancer. In this study, 120 individuals were analyzed as controls and 97 individuals with previously diagnosed bladder cancer. In the case of polymorphism pro198leu, highly significant differences were observed and individuals with this polymorphism presented a probability of developing bladder cancer 3.8 times greater than controls (OR = 3.8; 95% CI 2.16-6.78; p < 0.001). No significant differences in polymorphism ile58thr of MnSOD gene occurred when we compared the study population (OR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.26-3.49; p > 0.05). The results indicate that polymorphism of GPX-1 gene influences the risk of developing bladder cancer in the Ecuadorian population, suggesting that more research on detoxifying genes in bladder cancer should be conducted.

COVID-19 and Africa: Surviving between a rock and a hard place.

With over 575,000 deaths and about 13.3 million cases globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a terrible impact globally during the 6 months since cases were first detected in China. Conscious of the many challenges presented in settings with abundance of resources and with robust health systems, where mortality has been significant and transmission difficult to control, there was a logical concern to see how the virus could impact African countries, and their fragile and weak health systems. Such an anticipated "tsunami", with potentially devastating consequences, seems however to not have yet arrived, and African countries, albeit witnessing an increasing degree of autochthonous transmission, seem to this day relatively unaffected by the pandemic. In this article we review the current situation of the pandemic in the African continent, trying to understand the determinants of its slow progress.

Con más de 575.000 muertes y cerca de 13.3 millones de casos a nivel global, la pandemia por COVID-19 ha causado un terrible impacto en apenas medio año de evolución desde que por primera vez fuesen detectados casos en China. Conscientes de las dificultades planteadas en entornos con sistemas de salud robustos, donde la mortalidad ha sido significativa, y la transmisión difícilmente controlable, había una lógica preocupación por ver cómo el virus podría afectar a los países africanos, donde sus frágiles sistemas de salud auguraban un impacto aún mayor. Este "tsunami" anunciado, de potenciales consecuencias devastadoras, parece sin embargo no haber llegado todavía, y los países africanos, donde ya se ha evidenciado una creciente transmisión, no están viendo el impacto en la salud de sus habitantes que muchos habían predicho. En este artículo repasamos la situación actual de la pandemia en el continente Africano, intentando entender los determinantes de su lenta progresión.

[COVID-19 and Africa: Surviving between a rock and a hard place]. / COVID-19 y África: sobreviviendo entre la espada y la pared.

With over 575,000 deaths and about 13.3 million cases globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a terrible impact globally during the 6 months since cases were first detected in China. Conscious of the many challenges presented in settings with abundance of resources and with robust health systems, where mortality has been significant and transmission difficult to control, there was a logical concern to see how the virus could impact African countries, and their fragile and weak health systems. Such an anticipated "tsunami", with potentially devastating consequences, seems however to not have yet arrived, and African countries, albeit witnessing an increasing degree of autochthonous transmission, seem to this day relatively unaffected by the pandemic. In this article we review the current situation of the pandemic in the African continent, trying to understand the determinants of its slow progress.

Evaluation of blood mercury and serum selenium levels in the pregnant population of the Community of Madrid, Spain.

BACKGROUND: The main exposure route to methylmercury (MeHg) is from eating fish and shellfish containing this compound. Since 2004, women of childbearing age in Spain have been urged not to eat some species (eg, tuna, shark, and swordfish), instead choosing low-MeHg seafood as part of a healthy diet. OBJECTIVE: To describe maternal total blood mercury (THg) and serum selenium (Se) in a cohort of pregnant women living in Spain as it relates to fish intake during the three trimesters and to assess whether or not Spanish women of childbearing age follow the recommendations listed in fish advisories and choose fish species with lower mercury levels. METHODS: We studied 141 female volunteers of childbearing age (16-45 years), interviewing all participants about their overall eating habits and seafood intake. Hg and Se levels were tested using cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS), respectively. RESULTS: Average THg levels in pregnant women were 2.89 µg/L (standard deviation [SD], 2.75 µg/L, geometric mean [GM], 2.19 µg/L), and THg GM was positively associated with fish intake. Mean Se levels in pregnant women were 73.06 µg/L (SD, 13.38 µg/L), and Se levels were found to increase with tuna intake. In 16 (12%) pregnant women, THg was higher than the level recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (6.4 µg/L). A positive association was also found between THg and serum Se. CONCLUSION: Women of childbearing age in Spain had higher THg levels than women in other Western studies. Our study observed that 12% of women had THg levels above the safety limit set by the EPA (6.4 µg/L), and 31% had levels above the relevant benchmark level of 3.5 µg/L suggested by various researchers.