Cadmium, manganese, nickel and lead contents in surface sediments of the lower Ulla River and its estuary (northwest Spain)

The authors determined the total contents of cadmium, manganese, nickel and lead in 16 surface sediment samples along the last 7 km of the Ulla River and in its estuary. Prior to chemical analysis, the grain-size fractions below 500, 63 and 2 μm were separated. The metal concentrations were analysed in the fraction below 63 μm, and in selected samples from the clay fraction ( 2 μm). The soil samples were digested with a HF + HNO₃ + HCl mixture and the total concentrations of Cd, Mn, Ni and Pb were analysed with the AAS method. The highest contents of metals were found in the riverine sediments, near the town of Padrón, and in the estuary. The enrichment of metals in the sediments was mainly related to the proximity of the industrial sources, and to the fine particles transported and deposited in the sediments. The Ni and Mn contents found are considered very high, at some points reaching values of up to 357 mg kg⁻¹ and 2 110 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Lead and Cd were mainly found within the range considered as natural background levels in the sediments of the Galician rias, with concentrations of 25-68 mg kg⁻¹ for Pb and 0.01-0.92 mg kg⁻¹ for Cd. The lower part of the Ulla River and its estuary present: l) moderate to high contamination levels of Mn and Ni; 2) moderate Pb pollution levels; and 3) no Cd contamination. The highest concentrations of metals were obtained in the river, near the wastewater discharges, and in the estuary, associated with fine particles.El contenido total de cadmio, manganeso, níquel y plomo se determinó en 16 muestras de sedimentos superficiales a lo largo de los últimos 7 km del río Ulla y en su estuario. Previamente a los análisis químicos, se realizó la separación granulométrica de los sedimentos en las fracciones inferiores a 500, 63 y 2 μm. La concentración de metales se determinó en la fracción inferior a 63 μm y, para algunas muestras, en la fracción arcilla ( 2 μm). La digestión del sedimento se realizó en una mezcla ácida de HF + HNO₃ + HCl y se analizó la concentración total de Cd, Mn, Ni y Pb por espectroscopia de absorción atómica. Los contenidos más altos en metales se encontraron en los sedimentos del río, en las inmediaciones de Padrón y en los del estuario. El enriquecimiento de los sedimentos en metales se ha relacionado con la proximidad a las zonas industriales y con el material fino transportado y depositado en los sedimentos. Se han encontrado contenidos muy altos de Ni y Mn con valores de 357 mg kg⁻¹ y 2 110 mg kg⁻¹, respectivamente. Las concentraciones de Cd y Pb son comparables a los valores establecidos como niveles naturales en los sedimentos de las rías gallegas: 25-68 mg kg⁻¹ para el Pb y 0.01-0.92 mg kg⁻¹ para el Cd. El sedimento de la parte baja del río Ulla y su estuario presentan niveles moderados-altos de contaminación para Mn y Ni, moderados para Pb y nulos para Cd. Las mayores concentraciones de estos metales en el sedimento fueron medidas asociadas con las fracciones finas ( 63 μm): cerca de Padrón, zona de influencia fluvial y, también, aunque con valores más bajos, en la desembocadura del Ulla, zona de influencia marina.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

The in vivo location of edge-wear in hip arthroplasties : combining pre-revision 3D CT imaging with retrieval analysis

AIMS: Acetabular edge-loading was a cause of increased wear rates in metal-on-metal hip arthroplasties, ultimately contributing to their failure. Although such wear patterns have been regularly reported in retrieval analyses, this study aimed to determine their in vivo location and investigate their relationship with acetabular component positioning. METHODS: 3D CT imaging was combined with a recently validated method of mapping bearing surface wear in retrieved hip implants. The asymmetrical stabilizing fins of Birmingham hip replacements (BHRs) allowed the co-registration of their acetabular wear maps and their computational models, segmented from CT scans. The in vivo location of edge-wear was measured within a standardized coordinate system, defined using the anterior pelvic plane. RESULTS: Edge-wear was found predominantly along the superior acetabular edge in all cases, while its median location was 8° (interquartile range (IQR) -59° to 25°) within the anterosuperior quadrant. The deepest point of these scars had a median location of 16° (IQR -58° to 26°), which was statistically comparable to their centres (p = 0.496). Edge-wear was in closer proximity to the superior apex of the cups with greater angles of acetabular inclination, while a greater degree of anteversion influenced a more anteriorly centred scar. CONCLUSION: The anterosuperior location of edge-wear was comparable to the degradation patterns observed in acetabular cartilage, supporting previous findings that hip joint forces are directed anteriorly during a greater portion of walking gait. The further application of this novel method could improve the current definition of optimal and safe acetabular component positioning. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(10):639-649

Oftalmopatía tiroidea: determinación de parámetros de actividad clínica de la oftalmopatía tiroidea como factor pronóstico de respuesta al tratamiento inmunosupresor

Objective: To determine the usefulness of the clinical, biochemical and thyroid imaging parameters in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, in predicting their response to immunosuppressive treatment. Methods: This retrospective study of 16 patients with thyroid ophthalmopathy considered a number of variables including sex, age, thyroid hormone levels, treatment of the thyroid dysfunction, clinical activity score (CAS), severity (NOSPECS) of the ophthalmopathy, signs in standardized A-mode ultrasonography, in CAT and/or NMR, and previously used treatments and their effectiveness. Results: The average age of the patients was 50.81 (S.D: 11.89) years; there were 5 males (31.3%) and 11 females (68.8%). The ophthalmopathy was classified as active in 10/16 patients (62.5%) and inactive in 6/16 (37.5%); and as moderate in 9/16 (56.25%) and severe in 7/16 (43.75%) according to the severity defined in NOSPECS. Ultrasonography was diagnostic in 100% of the cases. The severity decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.05), however the clinical activity decrease did not reach significance (p=0.38) during immunosuppressive therapy. Better results were obtained during treatment of patients with a higher CAS (p=0.04) and in those with more severe ophthalmopathy (p=0.02). There was a tendency for the patients with higher levels of TSI to respond better to the treatment (p=0.06). Conclusions: The CAS is the best parameter to quantify the activity of the disease and predicting the response to treatment. The higher the CAS and the more severe the ophthalmopathy, the better the response to treatment. No association existed between thyroid function and the activity or severity of the ophthalmopathy; or the effectiveness of treatmen

The 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism influences the endothelial response to IL-1 and the modulatory effect of pravastatin

BACKGROUND: Increased plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) levels lead to impaired fibrinolytic function associated with higher cardiovascular risk. PAI-1 expression may be regulated by different inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1alpha (IL-1). Several polymorphisms have been described in the PAI-1 gene. AIM: We examined the influence of the 4G/5G polymorphism in the promoter region on IL-1alpha-induced PAI-1 expression by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in presence or absence of pravastatin. METHODS AND RESULTS: Genotyped HUVEC were incubated with IL-1alpha (500 U mL(-1)) in presence or absence of pravastatin (1-10 microm). PAI-1 expression was analyzed by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and PAI-1 antigen measured in supernatants by ELISA. IL-1alpha increased PAI-1 secretion in a genotype-dependent manner, and higher values were observed for 4G/4G compared with both 4G/5G and 5G/5G cultures (P < 0.05). Preincubation of HUVEC with 10 microm pravastatin significantly reduced IL-1-induced PAI-1 expression in 4G/4G HUVEC compared with untreated cultures (177.5% +/- 24.5% vs. 257.9% +/- 39.0%, P < 0.05). Pravastatin also attenuated the amount of secreted PAI-1 by 4G/4G HUVEC after IL-1 stimulation (5020.6 +/- 165.7 ng mL(-1) vs. 4261.1 +/- 309.8 ng mL(-1), P < 0.05). This effect was prevented by coincubation with mevalonate, indicating a dependence on HMG-CoA reductase inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: The endothelial 4G/5G PAI-1 genotype influences the PAI-1 response to IL-1alpha and the modulatory effect of pravastatin. As increased PAI-1 levels have been linked to cardiovascular disease the observed endothelial modulation by pravastatin may have potential clinical implications

Ejercicio interlaboratorio de bioensayos marinos para la evaluación de la calidad ambiental de sedimentos costeros. IV. Ensayo de toxicidad sobre sedimento con crustáceos anfípodos

9 páginas, 2 figuras, 3 tablas.[EN] Interlaboratory variability was studied for the bioassay using crustacean amphipods. Nine series of data were obtained from different laboratories using four different species (Ampelisca brevicornis, Corophium volutator, Corophium multisetosum and Microdeutopus gryllotalpa), all previously used for sediment toxicity assessment in Spain. Results were studied for interlaboratory variability and according to different confounding factors. The coefficients of variation were similar to those previously reported for this bioassay and sample classification was homogeneous among the laboratories that successfully completed the exercise. No significant tendencies related to test species were identified and it seems that the factor most critically affecting test results and the classification of samples is storage time before testing.[ES] Se estudió la precisión interlaboratorio del bioensayo con crustáceos anfípodos. Se recogieron nueve series de datos procedentes de distintos laboratorios europeos y de cuatro especies distintas (Ampelisca brevicornis, Corophium volutator, Corophium multisetosum y Microdeutopus gryllotalpa), todas ellas usadas previamente para la caracterización de la toxicidad de sedimentos en España. Esos resultados se estudiaron para evaluar la variabilidad interlaboratorio de acuerdo a las diferentes especies y los distintos tiempos de almacenamiento de las muestras antes del ensayo. Los resultados mostraron coeficientes de variación similares a los encontrados en estudios previos y permitieron una clasificación homogénea de las muestras entre los laboratorios que completaron el ejercicio con éxito. No se identificaron tendencias significativas debidas al uso de distintas especies y, al parecer, el factor que puede afectar más críticamente la clasificación de las muestras y, por lo tanto, el uso de los resultados para la toma de decisiones, es el tiempo de almacenamiento de los sedimentos previamente al desarrollo del ensayo.This study was carried out under a joint research project between CEDEX and the University of Cádiz. Part of the work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology REN2002_01699/TECNO). The first author was supported by a grant (FPI) from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.Peer reviewe

Antioxidant vitamins increase the collagen content and reduce MMP-1 in a porcine model of atherosclerosis: implications for plaque stabilization

Degradation of extracellular matrix, particularly interstitial collagen, promotes plaque instability and contributes to restenosis after vascular injury. We have explored the effects of vitamins C and E on the collagen content and metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression after angioplasty in hypercholesterolemic pigs. Iliac angioplasty was performed on 18 minipigs divided into three diet groups: a normal-cholesterol (NC), a high-cholesterol (HC) and a high-cholesterol plus vitamins C+E (HCV). Four weeks later, after sacrifice, the vascular collagen content and MMP-1 protein expression, along with the plasma caseinolytic activity and lipid peroxidation, were measured. MMP-1 was also determined in arterial rings stimulated with native low-density lipoproteins (LDL) isolated from experimental groups. Cholesterol-rich diet augmented plasma lipid peroxidation (P<0.05), reduced the collagen content and increased vascular MMP-1 expression after injury (P<0.05). Enhanced caseinolytic activity (identified as MMP-1) was also observed in HC plasma samples and in supernatants from arterial rings incubated with HC-LDL. Vitamins C and E markedly increased neointimal collagen content (P<0.01), reduced the hypercholesterolemia-induced changes in vascular MMP-1 (P<0.05) and diminished plasma and ex vivo caseinolytic activity. Vitamins C and E may help stabilize atherosclerotic plaque after angioplasty and favor vascular remodeling by increasing collagen content and reducing vascular MMP-1 expression in porcine hypercholesterolemia

Protective effect of the G-765C COX-2 polymorphism on subclinical atherosclerosis and inflammatory markers in asymptomatic subjects with cardiovascular risk factors

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, a key regulatory enzyme in prostanoid synthesis, plays an important role in inflammatory processes. The -765G>C COX-2 polymorphism has been associated with lower promoter activity in vitro and reduced levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in atherosclerotic carriers of the C allele. However, its pathophysiological relevance in vivo has not been fully elucidated. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed the -765G>C polymorphism and COX-2 expression in 220 asymptomatic subjects free of cardiovascular disease, in relation to global vascular risk, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), and inflammatory markers (fibrinogen, C-reactive protein [CRP], von Willebrand factor [vWF] and interleukin-6 [IL-6]). Genotype frequencies were: CC (7.7%), CG (34.5%), GG (57.7%). Among hypercholesterolemic subjects (n=140), C allele carriers had lower COX-2 expression (p<0.05), reduced carotid IMT (p<0.01) and diminished levels of inflammatory markers CRP, vWF and IL-6 (p<0.05), as compared to GG homozygous subjects. The association between carotid IMT and COX-2 polymorphism remained significant after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory markers (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: In asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic subjects the C allele of -765G>C COX-2 polymorphism was associated with lower COX-2 expression, and reduced subclinical atherosclerosis and systemic inflammation compared with GG homozygous, thus conferring atherosclerosis protection in this cardiovascular risk population

Neuropatía óptica autoinmune recidivante bilateral en la infancia

Clinical case: A ten year-old girl, after a Yersinia gastroenteritis, developed an optic neuritis in the left eye. She was not treated and resulted ultimately in optic atrophy on the affected side. Six months later a similar episode occurred in the contralateral eye. On this occasion corticosteroid therapy was given. During this therapy the neuritis diminished; however the patient had three relapses, so it was decided to give her immunosuppressive treatment with azathioprine and continue this indefinitely. Discussion: After considering the differential diagnoses of bilateral recurrent optical neuritis in childhood, we concluded that it was most likely to have an autoimmune basis. After considering the benefits and risks of the long-term treatment, we believe immunosuppressive therapy is most useful in controlling the disease allowing corticosteroid therapy to be reduced (Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol 2006; 81: 607-610)

On Kaluza's sign criterion for reciprocal power series

T. Kaluza has given a criterion for the signs of the power series of a function that is the reciprocal of another power series. In this note the sharpness of this condition is explored and various examples in terms of the Gaussian hypergeometric series are given. A criterion for the monotonicity of the quotient of two power series due to M. Biernacki and J. Krzy\.z is applied.Comment: 13 page

Influence of the shot-peening intensity on the structure and near-surface mechanical properties of Ti40Zr10Cu38Pd12 bulk metallic glass

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics.Shot-peening (SP) changes the near-surface structure and mechanical properties of a Ti40Zr10 Cu 38Pd12 bulk metallic glass. Near the surface, the hardness, Young's modulus, and elastic strain limit are all reduced. Measurements of the heat of relaxation show that an exceptionally high stored energy of cold work can be induced, implying a large increase in free volume. At the highest SP intensity there is partial nanocrystallization enabled by the increased free volume and not by the increase in temperature