Using multi-site data to apportion PM-bound metal(loid)s: Impact of a manganese alloy plant in an urban area.

The identification and quantification of the PM emission sources influencing a specific area is vital to better assess the potential health effects related to the PM exposure of the local population. In this work, a multi-site PM10 sampling campaign was performed in seven sites located in the southern part of the Santander Bay (northern Spain), an urban area characterized by the proximity of some metal(loid) industrial sources (mainly a manganese alloy plant). The total content of V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Sb and Pb was determined by ICP-MS. This multi-site dataset was evaluated by positive matrix factorization (PMF) in order to identify the main anthropogenic metal(loid) sources impacting the studied area, and to quantify their contribution to the measured metal(loid) levels. The attribution of the sources was done by comparing the factor profiles obtained by the PMF analysis with representative profiles from known metal(loid) sources in the area, included in both the European database SPECIEUROPE (V2.0) and the US database EPA-SPECIATE (V4.5) or calculated from literature data. In addition, conditional bivariate probability functions (CBPF)s were used to assist in the identification of the sources. Four metal(loid) sources were identified: Fugitive and point source emissions from the manganese alloy plant (49.9% and 9.9%, respectively), non-exhaust traffic emissions (38.3%) and a minor source of mixed origin (1.8%). The PMF analysis was able to make a clear separation between two different sources from the manganese alloy plant, which represented almost 60% of the total measured metal(loid) levels, >80% of these emissions being assigned to fugitive emissions. These results will be useful for the assessment of the health risk associated with PM10-bound metal(loid) exposure and for the design of efficient abatement strategies in areas impacted by similar industries.

Metal(loid) bioaccessibility and inhalation risk assessment: A comparison between an urban and an industrial area.

The content of metal(loid)s in particulate matter (PM) is of special concern due to their contribution to overall (PM) toxicity. In this study, the bioaccessibility and human health risk of potentially toxic metal(loid)s associated with PM10 were investigated in two areas of the Cantabrian region (northern Spain) with different levels of exposure: an industrial area mainly influenced by a ferromanganese alloy plant; and an urban area consisting mainly of residential and commercial activities, but also affected, albeit to a lesser extent by the ferroalloy plant. Total content and bioaccessible fractions in simulated lung fluids (SLFs) of Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, Sb, Mo, Cd and Pb were determined by ICP-MS. Gamble's solution and artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF) were used to mimic different conditions inside the human respiratory system. A health risk assessment was performed based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) methodology. Most metal(loid)s showed moderate and high bioaccessibility in Gamble's solution and ALF, respectively. Despite the high variability between the samples, metal(loid) bioaccessibility was found to be higher on average at the industrial site, suggesting a greater hazard to human health in the proximity of the main metal(loid) sources. Based on the results of the risk assessment, the non-carcinogenic risk associated with Mn exposure was above the safe limit (HQ> 1) under all the studied scenarios at the industrial site and under some specific scenarios at the urban location. The estimated carcinogenic inhalation risk for Cd exposure at the industrial site was found to be within the range between 1.0 × 10-6 to 1.0 × 10-4 (uncertainty range) under some scenarios. The results obtained in this study indicate that Mn and Cd inhalation exposure occurring in the vicinities of the studied areas may pose a human health risk.

Rapid and specific detection of section Fumigati and Aspergillus fumigatus in human samples using a new multiplex real-time PCR.

Invasive aspergillosis is an opportunistic infection caused primarily by Aspergillus fumigatus. However, other common fungal pathogens belonging to section Fumigati are often misidentified as A. fumigatus. Thus, we have developed a multiplex real-time PCR (qPCR) assay with primers and specific TaqMan probes based on internal transcribed spacer regions or benA gene to discriminate, in less than 3 h, species of section Fumigati and, specifically, A. fumigatus. The multiplex qPCR showed a limit of detection of 20 and 50 fg of DNA for section Fumigati and A. fumigatus, respectively. Moreover, it enabled detection of a single germinated conidia. The inclusion of some PCR facilitators together with the dilution of samples makes it possible to completely avoid PCR inhibitions in all bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples assayed. This technique may be a useful complementary tool in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis caused by A. fumigatus using BAL fluid.

Los microtraumatismos como etiología del seroma tardío en la mamoplastia de aumento / Microtraumas in the ethiology of late seroma in augmentative mammoplasty

El seroma tardío es una complicación poco común en la cirugía de los implantes mamarios que se presenta pasados los 3 primeros meses de postoperatorio, aunque puede producirse hasta años después. Es escasa la información con que se cuenta en la actualidad sobre el mismo, especialmente en lo referente a su etiología. Presentamos nuestra experiencia en lo relativo a esta patología, atribuyendo su etiología a los microtraumatismos sufridos por la paciente sobre la cápsula periprotésica de la zona afectada, ilustrada con algunos casos clínicos, su correspondiente tratamiento y resultado final (AU)

Late seromas occur as a complication of breast implant surgery, usually after 3 months but may become evident until years later. Currently, there is scarce information about this disorder, especially with regard to the etiology. In this paper, we present our experience with this pathologicalentity, presenting microtrauma of the periprothesic capsule of the affected area as a possible ethiology. We describe some clinical cases, their treatment and final outcome (AU)

Osteoma de coroides / Choroidal osteoma

A raíz de un caso de osteoma de coroides que se diagnóstico en el Instituto Barraquer de Barcelona se hizo una revisión bibliográfica del tema y se revisaron las fichas con el diagnóstico de osteoma de coroides entre los años 1982 y 2004, encontrándose 29 casos diagnosticados como tal. La revisión de las fichas descartó a 13 pacientes que no cumplían con los parámetros para osteomas, ya sea por mala interpretación de la ecografía o de otros exámenes. Los 16 restantes, 9 habían concurrido a una segunda opinión ya con el diagnóstico de osteoma. Los exámenes hechos en nuestro centro corroboraron el diagnóstico. Cinco pacientes nos consultaron por primera vez por disminución de la agudeza visual y en nuestro examen se encontró el osteoma. Otro caso nos consultó por jaqueca y diagnóstico previo en otro centro de coroiditis posterior. Un caso fue un hallazgo casual en una ecografía practicada por nosotros.