Direct, automated and sensitive determination of glyphosate and related anionic pesticides in environmental water samples using solid-phase extraction on-line combined with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

An automated procedure for the simultaneous determination of six anionic pesticides, including glyphosate (GLY) and its transformation product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), was developed and applied to the analysis of environmental water samples. The proposed method combines on-line concentration of water samples (0.160 mL), with compounds separation in an anion-exchange liquid chromatography (LC) column, followed by their selective determination by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The global procedure was completed in 25 min, providing limits of quantification (LOQs) between 5 ng L-1 and 20 ng L-1, with reduced effect of the surface water matrix in the efficiency of process (SPE and ionization yields). The method was applied to the analysis of grab samples obtained from three watersheds, in two rural and one residential area, in Galicia (Northwest Spain). Out of six investigated compounds, Fosetyl, AMPA and GLY were noticed in the set of processed samples. Their detection frequencies increased from 12% (Fosetyl) to 88% (AMPA). Median concentrations followed the same trend varying from 9 ng L-1 (Fosetyl) to 44 ng L-1 (AMPA). The higher levels and the large seasonal variations in the residues of the latter species were noticed in small rivers affected by discharges of municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs).

Long-term exposure to virgin and seawater exposed microplastic enriched-diet causes liver oxidative stress and inflammation in gilthead seabream Sparus aurata, Linnaeus 1758.

Plastics accumulation in marine ecosystems has notable ecological implications due to their long persistence, potential ecotoxicity, and ability to adsorb other pollutants or act as vectors of pathogens. The present work aimed to evaluate the physiological response of the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) fed for 90 days with a diet enriched with virgin and seawater exposed low-density polyethylene microplastics (LDPE-MPs) (size between 100 and 500 µM), followed by 30 days of depuration, applying oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in liver homogenates. No effects of LDPE-MPs treatments on fish growth were observed throughout this study. A progressive increase in antioxidant enzyme activities was observed throughout the study in both treatments, although this increase was higher in the group treated with seawater exposed MPs. This increase was significantly higher in catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GRd), and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) in the seawater exposed MPs group, with respect to the virgin group. In contrast, no significant differences were recorded in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) between both groups. Exposure to MPs also caused an increase in the oxidative damage markers (malondialdehyde and carbonyls groups). Myeloperoxidase activity significantly increased because of MPs treatments. After 30 days of depuration, antioxidant, inflammatory enzyme activities and oxidative damage markers returned to values similar to those observed in the control group. In conclusion, MPs exposure induced an increase of antioxidant defences in the liver of S. aurata. However, these elevated antioxidant capabilities were not enough to prevent oxidative damage in the liver since, an increased oxidative damage marker was associated with MPs ingestion. The treatment with seawater exposed MPs caused a more significant antioxidant response (CAT, GRs, and GST). Although after a depuration period of 30 days a tendency to recover the initial values of the biomarkers was observed this does not seem to be time enough for a complete normalization.

Three-dimensional Fourier transform evaluation of sequences of spatially and temporally modulated speckle interferograms.

Phase evaluation methods based on the 2D spatial Fourier transform of a speckle interferogram with spatial carrier usually assume that the Fourier spectrum of the interferogram has a trimodal distribution, i. e. that the side lobes corresponding to the interferential terms do not overlap the other two spectral terms, which are related to the intensity of the object and reference beams, respectively. Otherwise, part of the spectrum of the object beam is inside the inverse-transform window of the selected interference lobe and induces an error in the resultant phase map. We present a technique for the acquisition and processing of speckle interferogram sequences that separates the interference lobes from the other spectral terms when the aforementioned assumption does not apply and regardless of the temporal bandwidth of the phase signal. It requires the recording of a sequence of interferograms with spatial and temporal carriers, and their processing with a 3D Fourier transform. In the resultant 3D spectrum, the spatial and temporal carriers separate the conjugate interferential terms from each other and from the term related to the object beam. Experimental corroboration is provided through the measurement of the amplitude of surface acoustic waves in plates with a double-pulsed TV holography setup. The results obtained with the proposed method are compared to those obtained with the processing of individual interferograms with the regular spatial-carrier 2D Fourier transform method.

Alternancia eléctrica, frecuencia-dependiente, del complejo QRS-onda T / Frequency-dependent alternation of the QRS-T wave complex

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[Benign infantile paroxysmal torticollis. Apropos of 3 cases]. / Tortícolis paroxístico benigno infantil. A propósito de tres casos.

We report three children with benign paroxysmal torticollis (BPT) and review the literature. BPT represents a self-limited disorder that occurs mainly in infancy and in females. The condition is characterized by recurrent spells of torticollis which may, or may not, be accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, pallor, ataxia, irritability and drowsiness. The diagnosis of BPT should be established clinically, although, in some cases, it is necessary to rule out conditions such as posterior fossa tumor, cervical dislocation, ocular palsy, dystonia due to side effects of drugs, or Sandifer's syndrome. The etiology of the syndrome remains unknown and, at present, there is no effective therapy.

[Orofaciodigital syndrome type I in a mother and daughter]. / Síndrome oro-facio-digital tipo I en una madre y su hija.

Two patients, a mother and her daughter, who manifested the clinical features of the oro-facial-digital syndrome (OFD I) are reported. The mother have polycystic disease of the kidneys. Clinical data and genetic aspects are commented in relation with these new cases.