Análisis y distribución de hidrocarburos policíclicos aromáticos (PAH's) en suelos y aguas de escombreras en Puertollano (Ciudad Real)

The aim of this study was to examine if the soils and waters of Puertollano area are affected by pollution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their quantification. The results show that PAHs concentrations are higher in all samples than the reference levels gathered in the Spanish legislation. The possible actions for the coal waste remediation (re-wash of waste dumps, photodegradation and biorremediation) seems to be unviable in this case because of the large volume of materials affected, the slowness of these processes, and the geomorphological characteristics of the carboniferous Puertollano basin. During the spatial regional planning, maps showing the concentration of PAHs should be made to adapt the soil for its corresponding use. It is proposed to consider as contaminants more PAHs, such as naftalene or fluorantene in waters, and phenanthrene and benzo[ghi] perilene in soils

Increase of Circulating Monocyte–Platelet Conjugates in Rheumatoid Arthritis Responders to IL-6 Blockage

Monocytes; Rheumatoid arthritis; TocilizumabMonocitos; Artritis reumatoide; TocilizumabMonòcits; Artritis reumatoide; TocilizumabPlatelets (PLT) bind to a significant percentage of circulating monocytes and this immunomodulatory interaction is increased in several inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. The therapeutic blockage of IL-6 with Tocilizumab (TCZ) alters PLT and the phenotype and function of monocytes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the relationship between monocyte–PLT conjugates (CD14+PLT+) and clinical and immunological variables and the regulation of this interaction by IL-6 blockage are still unknown. Here, we compared the presence of monocyte–PLT conjugates (CD14+PLT+) and membrane CD162 expression using flow cytometry, and, by ELISA, the markers of PLT activation (sCD62P and sCD40L) in healthy donors (HD) and patients with long-standing RA before TCZ (baseline). We found higher percentages and absolute counts of CD14+PLT+, and higher plasmatic levels of sCD62P and sCD40L but lower CD162 expression on monocytes from RA patients than those from HD. Additionally, the levels of CD14+PLT+ inversely correlated with inflammatory parameters. Interestingly, 95% of patients with lower percentages of CD14+PLT+ and only 63% of patients with higher percentages of CD14+PLT+ achieved a EULAR-defined response at four weeks (p = 0.036). After TCZ, the percentage of CD14+PLT+ increased in 92% of RA patients who achieved 12 w-remission (p < 0.001). Our results suggest that the binding of PLTs has a modulatory effect, accentuated by the increased binding of PLTs to monocytes in response to the therapeutic blockage of IL-6.This study is supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and Fondos FEDER (PI17/00072 and PI20/00184)

Mortality attributable to extreme temperatures in Spain: A comparative analysis by city

BACKGROUND: The Low Temperature Days (LTD) have attracted far less attention than that of High Temperature Days (HTD), though its impact on mortality is at least comparable. This lower degree of attention may perhaps be due to the fact that its influence on mortality is less pronounced and longer-term, and that there are other concomitant infectious winters factors. In a climate-change scenario, the studies undertaken to date report differing results. The aim of this study was to analyse mortality attributable to both thermal extremes in Spain's 52 provinces across the period 2000-2009, and estimate the related economic cost to show the benefit or "profitability" of implementing prevention plans against LTD. METHODS: Previous studies enabled us: to obtain the maximum daily temperature above which HTD occurred and the minimum daily temperature below which LTD occurred in the 52 provincial capitals analysed across the same study period; and to calculate the relative and attributable risks (%) associated with daily mortality in each capital. These measures of association were then used to make different calculations to obtain the daily mean mortality attributable to both thermal extremes. To this end, we obtained a summary of the number of degrees whereby the temperature exceeded (excess °C) or fell short (deficit °C) of the threshold temperature for each capital, and calculated the respective number of extreme temperatures days. The economic estimates rated the prevention plans as being 68% effective. RESULTS: Over the period considered, the number of HTD (4373) was higher than the number of LTD (3006) for Spain as a whole. Notwithstanding this, in every provincial capital the mean daily mortality attributable to heat was lower (3deaths/day) than that attributable to cold (3.48deaths/day). In terms of the economic impact of the activation of prevention plans against LTD, these could be assumed to avoid 2.37 deaths on each LTD, which translated as a saving of €0.29M. Similarly, in the case of heat, 2.04 deaths could be assumed to be avoided each day on which the prevention plan against HTD was activated, amounting to a saving of €0.25M. While the economic cost of cold-related mortality across the ten-year period 2000-2009 was €871.7M, that attributable to heat could be put at €1093.2M. CONCLUSION: The effect of extreme temperatures on daily mortality was similar across the study period for Spain overall. The lower number of days with LTD meant, however, that daily cold-related mortality was higher than daily heat-related mortality, thereby making prevention plans against LTD more "profitable" prevention plans against HTD in terms of avoidable mortality.This study was supported by grants FIS ENPY 1001/13 & SEPY 1037/14 from Spain's Health Research Fund.S

Interventions to improve immigrant health. A scoping review.

Background: Disparities in health between immigrants and their host populations have been described across countries and continents. Hence, interventions for improving health targeting general populations are not necessarily effective for immigrants. Aims: To conduct a systematic search of the literature evaluating health interventions for immigrants; to map the characteristics of identified studies including range of interventions, immigrant populations and their host countries, clinical areas targeted and reported evaluations, challenges and limitations of the interventions identified. Following the results, to develop recommendations for research in the field. Methods: A scoping review approach was chosen to provide an overview of the type, extent and quantity of research available. Studies were included if they empirically evaluated health interventions targeting immigrants and/or their descendants, included a control group, and were published in English (PubMed and Embase from 1990 to 2015). Results: Most of the 83 studies included were conducted in the USA, encompassed few immigrant groups and used a randomized controlled trial (RCT) or cluster RCT design. Most interventions addressed chronic and non-communicable diseases and attendance at cancer screening services, used individual targeted approaches, targeted adult women and recruited participants from health centres. Outcome measures were often subjective, with the exception of interventions for cardiovascular risk and diabetes. Generally, authors claimed that interventions were beneficial, despite a number of reported limitations. Conclusions: Recommendations for enhancing interventions to improve immigrant health are provided to help researchers, funders and health care commissioners when deciding upon the scope, nature and design of future research in this area

FTIR-ATR Spectroscopy Combined with Multivariate Regression Modeling as a Preliminary Approach for Carotenoids Determination in Cucurbita spp

Quantitative analysis of carotenoids has been extensively reported using UV\u2010Vis spectrophotometry and chromatography, instrumental techniques that require complex extraction protocols with organic solvents. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a potential alternative for simplifying the analysis of food constituents. In this work, the application of FTIR with attenuated total reflectance (ATR) was evaluated for the determination of total carotenoid content (TCC) in Cucurbita spp. samples. Sixty\u2010three samples, belonging to different cultivars of butternut squash (C. moschata) and pumpkin (C. maxima), were selected and analyzed with FTIR\u2010 ATR (attenuated total reflectance). Three different preparation protocols for samples were followed: homogenization (A), freeze\u2010drying (B), and solvent extraction (C). The recorded spectra were used to develop regression models by Partial Least Squares (PLS), using data from TCC, determined by UV\u2010Vis spectrophotometry. The PLS regression model obtained with the FTIR data from the freeze\u2010dried samples, using the spectral range 920\u20133000 cm 121, had the best figures of merit (R2CAL of 0.95, R2PRED of 0.93 and RPD of 3.78), being reliable for future application in agriculture. This approach for carotenoid determination in pumpkin and squash avoids the use of organic solvents. Moreover, these results are a rationale for further exploring this technique for the assessment of specific carotenoids in food matrices

A hypothesis of a redistribution of North Atlantic swordfish based on changing ocean conditions

Conflicting trends in indices of abundance for North Atlantic swordfish starting in the mid-to late 1990s, in the form of fleet specific catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), suggest the possibility of a spatial shift in abundance to follow areas of preferred temperature. The observed changes in the direction of the CPUEs correspond with changes in trends in the summer Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), a long term mode of variability of North Atlantic sea surface temperature. To test the hypothesis of a relation between the CPUE and the AMO, the CPUEs were made spatially explicit by re-estimating using an “areas-as-fleets” approach. These new CPUEs were then used to create alternative stock histories. The residuals of the fit were then regressed against the summer AMO. Significant, and opposite, relations were found in the regressions between eastern and western Atlantic areas. When the AMO was in a warm phase, the CPUEs in the western (eastern) areas were higher (lower) than predicted by the assessment model fit. Given the observed temperature tolerance limits of swordfish, it is possible that either their preferred habitat, prey species, or both have shifted spatial distributions resulting in conflicting CPUE indices. Because the available CPUE time series only overlaps with one change in the sign of the AMO (~1995), it is not clear whether this is a directional or cyclical trend. Given the relatively localized nature of many of the fishing fleets, and the difficulty of separating fleet effects from changes in oceanography we feel that it is critical to create CPUE indices by combining data across similar fleets that fish in similar areas. This approach allowed us to evaluate area-specific catch rates which provided the power to detect basin-wide responses to changing oceanography, a critical step for providing robust management advice in a changing climate.Postprin