11-Deoxycorticosterone Producing Adrenal Hyperplasia as a Very Unusual Cause of Endocrine Hypertension: Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature

Background and Objectives: 11-deoxycorticosterone overproduction due to an adrenal tumor or hyperplasia is a very rare cause of mineralocorticoid-induced hypertension. The objective is to provide the most relevant clinical features that clinicians dealing with patients presenting with the hallmarks of hypertension due to 11-deoxycorticosterone-producing adrenal lesions should be aware of. Design and Methods: We report the case of a patient with an 11-deoxycorticosterone-producing adrenal lesion and provide a systematic review of all published cases (PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE) between 1965 and 2021. Results: We identified 46 cases (including ours). Most cases (31, 67%) affected women with a mean age of 42.9 +/- 15.2 years and presented with high blood pressure and hypokalemia (average of 2.68 +/- 0.62 mmol/L). Median (interquartile range) time from onset of first suggestive symptoms to diagnosis was 24 (55) months. Aldosterone levels were low or in the reference range in 98% of the cases when available. 11-deoxycorticosterone levels were a median of 12.5 (18.9) times above the upper limit of the normal reference range reported in each article and overproduction of more than one hormone was seen in 31 (67%). Carcinoma was the most common histological type (21, 45.7%). Median tumor size was 61.5 (60) mm. Malignant lesions were larger, had higher 11-deoxycorticosterone levels and shorter time of evolution at diagnosis compared to benign lesions. Conclusion: 11-deoxycorticosterone-producing adrenal lesions are very rare, affecting mostly middle-aged women with a primary aldosteronism-like clinical presentation and carcinoma is the most frequent histological diagnosis. Measuring 11-deoxycorticosterone levels, when low aldosterone levels or in the lower limit of the reference range are present in hypertensive patients, is advisable. Systematic Review Registration:Open Science Framework, 10.17605/OSF.IO/NR7UV

Origin of green clinopyroxene cores of lavas from the garrotxa volcanic field (spain)

Volcanism of the Garrotxa area is part of the Neogene volcanism of NE Spain (NE Spain volcanic province, NESVP). This volcanism is a manifestation of the magmatic activity consequence of the rift-type extensional tectonics that affect the eastern margin of Iberia since late Oligocene and that involved the opening of the Valencia trough. Volcanic activity in the NESVP started weakly in the Cadaqués zone 15 Ma ago, (C. Lewis, personal communication), followed by the Empordà (9 to 12 Ma in Alt Empordà, 6 Ma in Baix Empordà), La Selva field (5 to 7 Ma) and the Tordera fault system (2 Ma). Finally, activity took place at the Garrotxa volcanic field (GVF) from 300,000 to 10,000 years ago, with an eruptive episode every 15,000 to 20,000 years approximately (C. Lewis personal communication)

The Holocene volcanism at El Hierro: insights from petrology and geochemistry

The Holocene volcanism at El Hierro consists of basaltic monogenetic volcanic fields associated with o the three rift systems present in this island. In this work we report preliminary petrological and geochemical data of Holocene lava flows belonging to the WNW-striking rift. Sampling was focused in three zones: Orchilla, Verodal-Sabinosa, and Tanganasoga. Petrography of the studied lavas shows that they are homogeneous. All samples are porphyritic with macrocrysts of clinopyroxene and olivine immersed in a groundmass formed by microcrysts of plagioclase, Fe-Ti oxides and clinopyroxene. Clinopyroxenes are diopsides, olivines have forsterite contents ranging from 74 to 84 % and anorthite in plagioclase varies from 66 to 76% (labradorite). Whole-rock geochemical results evidence that all magmas are basic in composition, ranging from picrobasalts to phonotephrites. Major, trace elements and isotope suppor fractional crystallization as the main process of magma evolution. However, petrography and chemistry of clinopyroxene cores agree with a xenocrystic nature of some of them. We suggest that these clinopyroxene cores crystallized from a genetically related magma and subsequently were entrapped o cannibalized by the basic rising magmas

Noble gas isotopes reveal degassing-derived eruptions at Deception Island (Antarctica): implications for the current high levels of volcanic activity

Deception Island is one of the most active volcanoes in Antarctica with more than twenty explosive eruptions in the past two centuries. Any future volcanic eruption(s) is a serious concern for scientists and tourists, will be detrimental to marine ecosystems and could have an impact to global oceanographic processes. Currently, it is not possible to carry-out low and high frequency volcanic gas monitoring at Deception Island because of the arduous climatic conditions and its remote location. Helium, neon and argon isotopes measured in olivine samples of the main eruptive events (pre-, syn- and post caldera) offer insights into the processes governing its volcanic history. Our results show that: (i) ascending primitive magmas outgassed volatiles with a MORB-like helium isotopic signature (3He/4He ratio); and (ii) variations in the He isotope ratio, as well as intensive degassing evidenced by fractionated 4He/40Ar* values, occurred before the beginning of the main eruptive episodes. Our results show how the pre-eruptive noble gas signals of volcanic activity is an important step toward a better understanding of the magmatic dynamics and has the potential to improve eruption forecasting.This research was supported by the Spanish Government (MICINN) projects: RECALDEC (CTM2009-05919-E/ANT), PEVOLDEC (CTM2011-13578-E/ANT), POSVOLDEC (CTM2016-79617-P)(AEI/FEDER, UE), VOLGASDEC (PGC2018-095693-B-I00)(AEI/FEDER, UE), HYDROCAL (PID2020-114876GB-I00)(MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033), EruptING (PID2021-127189OB-I00) (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033), and Programa Propio’s project (Universidad de Salamanca-2019 modalidad 1B). A.A-V also thanks the JSPS invitation fellowship (S18113) at the University of Tokyo. A.P.S is grateful for his PhD grant “Programa Propio III Universidad de Salamanca-2021 cofounded by Banco de Santander”.Peer reviewe

BCN Rocks: aprendiendo geología urbana a través de una aplicación App interactiva

BCN Rocks is an application (App) for personal mobile devices (Android and iOS versions) suitable for secondary and high school students as well as people without background in Earth Sciences. The main objective of this App is to learn geology using the city facades and pavements of two emblematic spaces of the city of Barcelona, the Passeig de Gràcia and the Barri Gòtic. The application has three main sections (ELEMENTS, EXPLORE, and LABORATORY) that are intended to satisfy the different needs of users. In the first section, Elements, the user will find all the information about rocks forming the selected buildings as well as a brief explanation about the history and architecture of each edifice. The second section, Explore, aims to arise the curiosity of users. In this sense, several routes are proposed according to different criteria including geographic position and age of the edifices. Finally, the third section, Laboratory, allows all users to investigate several geological aspects by means of interactive experiments.Este trabajo se enmarca en un proyecto financiado por la Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología, FECYT (ref. 8524) en el que ha participado la Universitat de Barcelona, el Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra Jaume Almera del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICTJA-CSIC) y la empresa FUSTA. AG agradece su contrato Ramón y Cajal (RYC-2012-11024).Peer Reviewe

Magma ascent and eruption forecasting at Deception Island volcano (Antarctica) evidenced by δD and δ18O variations

Geochemistry of volatiles in active volcanoes provides insights into the magmatic processes and evolution at depth, such as magma evolution and degassing, which can be implemented into volcanic hazards assessment. Deception Island is one of the most active volcanoes in Antarctica, with more than twenty explosive eruptions documented over the past two centuries. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic variations in the volatiles trapped in the Deception Island rocks (glass and melt inclusions in phenocrysts) provide essential information on the mechanisms controlling the eruptive history in this volcanic suite. Thus, understanding the petrological and related isotopic variations in the island, has the potential to foresee the possible occurrence and its main eruptive features of a future eruption

Author Correction: Noble gas isotopes reveal degassing-derived eruptions at Deception Island (Antarctica): implications for the current high levels of volcanic activity

Peer reviewe

Degassing-derived eruptions at Deception Island (Antarctica): geochemistry of noble gas isotopes with implications for volcano forecasting

Peer reviewe

High prevalence of venous thrombotic events in Cushing’s syndrome:data from ERCUSYN and details in relation to surgery

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients included in the European Registry on Cushing's syndrome (ERCUSYN), compare their clinical characteristics with those who did not develop VTE and identify risk factors for VTE. Design: A retrospective observational cohort study. Methods: Data extraction from the registry was taken on February, 7, 2022. At the time there were 2174 patients diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome (CS) and 95 VTEs were reported in the database. Results: Of 95 VTE events 70 (74%) were in pituitary-dependent CS patients, 12 (12.5%) in adrenal-dependant CS, 10 (10.5%) in ectopic CS, and 3 (3%) in CS due to other causes. Sex, 24-hour urinary free cortisol (UFC) value at diagnosis, as well as the number of operations remained statistically significant predictors of VTE. Of patients who were treated with at least one surgery, 12 (13%) VTE occurred before and 80 (87%) after the surgery. Nearly half of these VTEs occurred within six months since the operation (36; 45%). Over half of the centers that reported VTE did not routinely anticoagulate CS patients. Anticoagulation schemes varied widely. Conclusion: Patients with CS have an elevated risk of developing VTE for an extended period of time. From ERCUSYN cohort patients have higher risk for VTE if they need multiple surgeries to treat CS, are males and have high UFC values at the diagnosis of CS. Since there is no agreement on thromboprohpylaxis, a protocol for VTE prevention that is widely adopted appears to be necessary for patients with CS.</p

Descifrando los procesos magmáticos desencadenantes de la formación de la caldera en Isla Decepción (Antártida)

Isla Decepción (Islas Shetland del Sur) es uno de los volcanes más activos de la Antártida, con más de 20 erupciones en los últimos 200 años (las más recientes en 1967, 1969 y 1970) y tres episodios de unrest documentados (1992, 1999 y 2014-15). La isla está formada por un sistema volcánico compuesto con una caldera central de 8,5 x 10 km datada en unos 3.980 ± 125 años. Durante la formación de la caldera de colapso, se emitieron entre 30 y 60 km3 (Dense Rock Equivalent-DRE) de magma basáltico-andesítico en forma de flujos piroclásticos, que dieron lugar a la Outer Coast Tuff Formation (OCTF), la principal unidad sin-caldera. Caracterizar las condiciones magmáticas y los procesos que desencadenaron el evento explosivo es crucial para entender el pasado (y futuro) de la evolución magmática de la isla. El objetivo de este trabajo es establecer, a partir de la petrología y la geoquímica, las condiciones y los procesos magmáticos que tuvieron lugar antes y durante la formación de la caldera de colapso. Los resultados preliminares confirman la existencia de dos magmas coexistiendo e interactuando antes (y durante) la erupción caldérica y procesos de cristalización fraccionada. Esta investigación es parte de las iniciativas de investigación POLARCSIC y PTIVolcan