Occurrence of legacy and replacement plasticizers, bisphenols, and flame retardants in potable water in Montreal and South Africa

The occurrence of thirty-nine contaminants including plasticizers, bisphenols, and flame retardants in potable water from Montreal and South Africa was analyzed to determine their presence and concentrations in different water sources. In Montreal, five bottled water (BW) brands and three drinking water treatment plants (DWTP) were included. In South Africa, water was sampled from one urban DWTP located in Pretoria, Gauteng, and one rural DWTP located in Vhembe, along with water from the same rural DWTP which had been stored in small and large plastic containers. A combination of legacy compounds, typically with proven toxic effects, and replacement compounds was investigated. Bisphenols, Dechlorane-602, Dechlorane-603, and s-dechlorane plus (s-DP) were not detected in any water samples, and a-dechlorane plus (a-DP) was only detected in one sample from Pretoria at a concentration of 1.09 ng/L. Lower brominated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)s were detected more frequently than higher brominated PBDEs, always at low concentrations of <2 ng/L, and total PBDE levels were statistically higher in South Africa than in Montreal. Replacement flame retardants, organophosphate esters (OPEs), were detected at statistically higher concentrations in Montreal's BW (68.56 ng/L), drinking water (DW) (421.45 ng/L) and Vhembe (198.33 ng/L) than legacy PBDEs. Total OPE concentrations did not demonstrate any geographical trend; however, levels were statistically higher in Montreal's DW than Montreal's BW. Plasticizers were frequently detected in all samples, with legacy compounds DEHP, DBP, and replacement DINCH being detected in 100 % of samples with average concentrations ranging from 6.89 ng/L for DEHP in Pretoria to 175.04 ng/L for DINCH in Montreal's DW. Total plasticizer concentrations were higher in Montreal than in South Africa. The replacement plasticizers (DINCH, DINP, DIDA, and DEHA) were detected at similar frequencies and concentrations as legacy plasticizers (DEHP, DEP, DBP, MEHP). For the compounds reported in earlier studies, the concentrations detected in the present study were similar to other locations. These compounds are not currently regulated in drinking water but their frequent detection, especially OPEs and plasticizers, and the presence of replacement compounds at similar or higher levels than their legacy compounds demonstrate the importance of further investigating the prevalence and the ecological or human health effects of these compounds.The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund grant,http://www.elsevier.com/locate/scitotenvhj2023School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

A Stochastic Model of Interaction for Situated Agents and its Parallel Implementation

In this article, we address the modeling of uncertainties and errors in the simulation of situated agents. We propose a model of interaction that integrates uncertainties and errors due to effectors and sensors. This model is built upon a stochastic modeling of the interaction between an agent and its environment. We illustrate an application of such a model in case of simulating a set of mobile autonomous robots evolving in a structured environment (the inside of a building). Moreover, the built simulator has been designed to be executed on parallel computers and we describe its parallelization together with major results in terms of speed-up and size-up

ParCeL-3: A Parallel Programming Language Based on Concurrent Cells and Multiple Clocks

This article introduces a new parallel language for modern MIMD parallel computers: ParCeL-3. Its computing model is based on cells, sort of ultra-light processes, and on the definition of multiple clocks to manage the cells. It allows to use several parallel programming paradigms to implement the cell communications, as message passing and memory sharing, depending of the algorithm need. This new computing model leads to a natural parallelization of Artificial Intelligence applications, in order to decrease both execution times and parallel development time overheads

AirLab: a cloud-based platform to manage and share antibody-based single-cell research

Single-cell analysis technologies are essential tools in research and clinical diagnostics. These methods include flow cytometry, mass cytometry, and other microfluidics-based technologies. Most laboratories that employ these methods maintain large repositories of antibodies. These ever-growing collections of antibodies, their multiple conjugates, and the large amounts of data generated in assays using specific antibodies and conditions makes a dedicated software solution necessary. We have developed AirLab, a cloud-based tool with web and mobile interfaces, for the organization of these data. AirLab streamlines the processes of antibody purchase, organization, and storage, antibody panel creation, results logging, and antibody validation data sharing and distribution. Furthermore, AirLab enables inventory of other laboratory stocks, such as primers or clinical samples, through user-controlled customization. Thus, AirLab is a mobile-powered and flexible tool that harnesses the capabilities of mobile tools and cloud-based technology to facilitate inventory and sharing of antibody and sample collections and associated validation data

Toxicomanie chez les jeunes a Fougeres

Etude realisee pour la ville de FougeresAvailable at INIST (FR), Document Supply Service, under shelf-number : RP 12305 / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueSIGLEFRFranc

Additional file 1: Figure S1. of AirLab: a cloud-based platform to manage and share antibody-based single-cell research

Inventory management. a Requested reagent and buttons for laboratory managers to accept, reject, or modify a request. b Approved request. Managers can mark the reagent as ordered once the purchase order to the vendor is placed. c Purchased reagent. All members can mark reagents as arrived. d Information for purchased reagents showing units in stock. e Details on reagent unit purchase and storage. f Sample management system allows entry, management, and aliquoting of user-defined samples. g Sample information. h Contextual actions for sample registries. Figure S2. Antibody management tools. a Antibody purchasing tool, streamlines requests for antibody purchase. b Proteins list. Tapping shows list of clones available for that protein (see panel d). c Edit antibody clone tool collects basic information for an antibody registry. d All available clones, including specificities, sources, and applications. Contextual actions are available after swiping the row. e Conjugates list displays the conjugates per antibody lot. f Add conjugate window allows entry of conjugates by specifying the lot and tag. g Panels list. h Antibody panel building tool shows all conjugates; the user selects one conjugate per channel. Long tap displays available information for conjugate. i Antibody panel presentation mode allows users to set concentrations and record inventory information (finished, low) and export the panel as CSV or CyTOF templates. Figure S3. Electronic laboratory notebook (ELN). Simple but efficient. Users can insert common file types, a images, b Microsoft Office files, c custom plate templates, d photographs, and e antibody panels defined in the Antibody gateway section. f After entries are finished, sections can be locked to prevent future modification. Figure S4. Storage tools. Users can virtualize the laboratory by a room, b fridges, freezers, tanks, etc. c shelves and racks, or d boxes. e Functions available upon clicking (removing, relocating, and mark as finished). (PPTX 10226 kb

Exposure to lead and vaccine-specific IgG titers in South African children participating in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE) : a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND : While successes have been achieved in reducing global exposure to lead, few studies have investigated the potential health effects of low-level exposure (e.g. blood lead levels [BLLs] below the CDC reference level of 5 μg/dL), particularly among children from low- and middle-income countries. In addition, lead is immunotoxic in animals but human data on immune response to vaccines is limited. Our aim was to determine whether low-level exposure to lead is associated with humoral response to vaccines among rural South African children. METHODS : We used data from the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), a birth cohort study conducted in Limpopo, South Africa. BLLs were measured in whole blood collected at age 1 year and IgG titers for measles, tetanus and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) were determined at age 3.5 years among 425 fully-vaccinated children. RESULTS : BLLs were low (median = 1.90 μg/dL) and 94% of children had a BLL below 5 μg/dL. Overall, BLLs were associated with higher risks of having IgG titers below the protective limit for tetanus (RR = 1.88 per 10-fold increase; 95%CI = 1.08, 3.24) but not measles (RR = 1.02; 95%CI = 0.26, 3.95) or Hib (RR = 0.96; 95%CI = 0.54, 1.71). BLLs were also associated with low Hib IgG titers among children exposed to HIV in utero and with low measles IgG titers among females. In contrast, the association with measles IgG titers was positive among males. CONCLUSION : Low-level exposure to lead may compromise the humoral response to vaccines. Children exposed to HIV in utero and females may be particularly susceptible.The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and a Canada Research Chair in Environmental Health Sciences.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/envres2021-01-01hj2020School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

B and T cells collaborate in antiviral responses via IL-6, IL-21, and transcriptional activator and coactivator, Oct2 and OBF-1

A strong humoral response to infection requires the collaboration of several hematopoietic cell types that communicate via antigen presentation, surface coreceptors and their ligands, and secreted factors. The proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 has been shown to promote the differentiation of activated CD4+ T cells into T follicular helper cells (T cells) during an immune response. T cells collaborate with B cells in the formation of germinal centers (GCs) during T cell-dependent antibody responses, in part through secretion of critical cytokines such as IL-21. In this study, we demonstrate that loss of either IL-6 or IL-21 has marginal effects on the generation of T cells and on the formation of GCs during the response to acute viral infection. However, mice lacking both IL-6 and IL-21 were unable to generate a robust T cell-dependent immune response. We found that IL-6 production in follicular B cells in the draining lymph node was an important early event during the antiviral response and that B cell-derived IL-6 was necessary and sufficient to induce IL-21 from CD4+ T cells in vitro and to support T cell development in vivo. Finally, the transcriptional activator Oct2 and its cofactor OBF-1 were identified as regulators of Il6 expression in B cells

Targeted screening of 11 bisphenols and 7 plasticizers in food composites from Canada and South Africa

A sensitive method based on ultrasound-assisted liquid extraction coupled with liquid chromatography was applied to screen 18 plastic-related contaminants in 168 food composites (namely fish fillets, chicken breast, canned tuna, leafy vegetables, bread and butter) collected in Montreal (Canada), Pretoria and Vhembe (South Africa). Bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS) and seven plasticizers (di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP), di-(isononyl)-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH)) were detected in different foods from both countries. DBP and DEP were the most frequently detected contaminants in food collected in Montreal (75% for both) and DINP was the most frequently detected contaminant in food from South Africa (67%). DEHA concentration in packaged fish were significantly higher than the values for non-packaged fish (p < 0.01) suggesting that the packaging film can be one source of DEHA in fish.The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Canada Foundation for Innovation/John R. Evans Leaders Fund grant of S. Bayen and a Canada Research Chair in Global Environmental Health and Epidemiology.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchemhj2022School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH)UP Centre for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP CSMC