Downwind gas condensate volatiles affect phytoplankton communities.

We investigated the effects of volatile organic carbons (VOCs) evaporated from gas condensate on the cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. WH8103, the diatom Asterionellopsis glacialis, and the dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum. We used custom algal incubation chambers enabling only the gas condensate-derived VOCs to interact with the cell cultures via an atmospheric bridge, without direct contact with the hydrocarbon oil. The exposure to gas condensate VOCs reduced the abundance, growth rate, and photosynthetic efficiency of Synechococcus sp. WH8103. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assays hint at oxidative damage to the chloroplasts and/or the thylakoid membranes in this organism. A.glacialis abundance, physiological state and growth rates remained unchanged, whereas A.minutum abundance and photosynthetic efficiency increased relative to their respective controls. Our results demonstrate that the effects of a gas condensate formed due to an oil spill will not be restricted to the polluted area, but may be prominent in downwind locations through atmospheric transport.

Condrocalcinosis axial: reporte de un caso / Axial chondrocalcinosis: a case report

La artropatía por pirofosfato de calcio (CPPD) se caracteriza por la acumulación de cristales de pirofosfato de calcio en el tejido articular y periarticular. La localización más frecuente son rodillas, muñecas y pelvis. Sin embargo, también existen reportes aislados de compromiso de columna. Se presenta el caso de un paciente varón de 52 años, con antecedentes de doble prótesis de caderas por coxartrosis diagnosticada a los 20 años de edad. Es evaluado en reumatología en febrero de 2017, por cuadro de poliartralgias de grandes articula-ciones, asociada a dolor de columna cervical, dorsal y lumbar. Se realizan exámenes imagenológicos que demuestran la presencia de calcificaciones interdiscales con sobrecrecimiento óseo, secundario a artrosis severa y discreta este-nosis raquídea solo en segmentos lumbares bajos.

The Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) deposition disease is characterised by the deposition of crystals of CPPD in the articular as well as in periarticular structures. The most frequent location are knees, wrist and pelvis. However, also there are iso-lated cases involving the spine. It presents the case of a 52 years male patient, with history of bone arthrosis dou-ble hips prosthesis by bone arthrosis diagnosed 30 years ago. He is evaluated in feb-ruary 2017 by pain of large joints associated cervical spine pain dorsal and lumbar. Imagenological tests are prerfomed and confirms the presence of intervertebral discs calcifications and bone overgrowth secundary to severe osteoarthrosis and spinal ste-nosis in lower lumbar segments.