The chemical behaviour of trace metals in a small, enclosed and shallow bay on the coast of Attika, Greece

A lot of small and shallow bays that exist along the extended Greek coastline differ significantly from the open sea in the fluctuation of hydrological parameters, the degree of eutrophication and the concentration of pollutants. These characteristics can sometimes create environmental conditions that favour the development of specific ecosystems like the algae mats. The chemical behaviour of dissolved and particulate forms of the most interesting, from the environmental point of view, trace metals along with the variations of salinity and temperature as well as the eutrophication degree in a bay near Athens, Greece was studied in this paper for the period of 1 year (July 2000-June 2001). The results of this study showed that the waters inside the bay are of a higher eutrophication level than the neighbouring open Saronikos gulf. In most cases, the cove's water is enriched in both dissolved and particulate metals in comparison to the neighbouring coastal area and the various parts of Saronikos gulf. The low rate of water renewal, the increased particulate matter, the algal mat and certain human activities (mainly during the warm period of the year) are the main reasons. A good correlation between the fluctuations of the concentrations of some metals inside and outside the cove also occurs. It indicates the contact between the area's water masses and the need for environmental planning covering a wide area around the system. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS): diagnosis and management

Objective: To present our experience and the current knowledge about pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Design: Retrospective study concerning clinical and laboratory findings of severe OHSS. Setting: General ICU at a maternity-surgical hospital. Patients: Ten patients suffering from severe OHSS. Interventions: Supportive and preventive therapeutic measures applied are described. Measurements and results: Admission and discharge data as well as worst values during disease course were recorded. Clinical and laboratory findings showed third space fluid shift leading to weight gain, generalized tissue edema, ascites, hydrothorax, abdominal distension and pain, chest discomfort, hypovolemia, dehydration, ovaries enlargement, electrolyte disturbances, hypoalbuminemia, high hematocrit, urea, and WBC. Conclusions: OHSS is an iatrogenic complication of assisted conception of unknown pathogenesis, with potentially life-threatening sequelae due to hemoconcentration such as circulatory shock, ARDS, hepatorenal failure, thromboembolic phenomena, and multi-organ dysfunction syndrome. Gynecologists and intensivists must be aware of the diagnosis and management of the syndrome because of the widely used reproductive techniques for assisted conception

Several serum lipid metabolites are associated with relapse risk in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis.

BackgroundThe circulating metabolome is altered in multiple sclerosis (MS), but its prognostic capabilities have not been extensively explored. Lipid metabolites might be of particular interest due to their multiple roles in the brain, as they can serve as structural components, energy sources, and bioactive molecules. Gaining a deeper understanding of the disease may be possible by examining the lipid metabolism in the periphery, which serves as the primary source of lipids for the brain.ObjectiveTo determine if altered serum lipid metabolites are associated with the risk of relapse and disability in children with MS.MethodsWe collected serum samples from 61 participants with pediatric-onset MS within 4 years of disease onset. Prospective longitudinal relapse data and cross-sectional disability measures (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS]) were collected. Serum metabolomics was performed using untargeted liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Individual lipid metabolites were clustered into pre-defined pathways. The associations between clusters of metabolites and relapse rate and EDSS score were estimated utilizing negative binomial and linear regression models, respectively.ResultsWe found that serum acylcarnitines (relapse rate: normalized enrichment score [NES] = 2.1, q = 1.03E-04; EDSS: NES = 1.7, q = 0.02) and poly-unsaturated fatty acids (relapse rate: NES = 1.6, q = 0.047; EDSS: NES = 1.9, q = 0.005) were associated with higher relapse rates and EDSS, while serum phosphatidylethanolamines (relapse rate: NES = -2.3, q = 0.002; EDSS: NES = -2.1, q = 0.004), plasmalogens (relapse rate: NES = -2.5, q = 5.81E-04; EDSS: NES = -2.1, q = 0.004), and primary bile acid metabolites (relapse rate: NES = -2.0, q = 0.02; EDSS: NES = -1.9, q = 0.02) were associated with lower relapse rates and lower EDSS.ConclusionThis study supports the role of some lipid metabolites in pediatric MS relapses and disability

Integrated chemical and biochemical technology to produce biogas with a reduced ammonia content from municipal biowaste. Validating lab-scale research in a real operational environment

The current paper reports the scientific, technical, environmental, economic and social impacts of two integrated chemical and biochemical processes that employed a novel virtuous biowaste cycle under real operational conditions of three industrial sites in Italy, Greece and Cyprus. The work was based on previous laboratory research pertinent to the valorisation of municipal biowastes (MBWs) as a feedstock to obtain value added soluble biobased (SBO) products. The research pointed out that the site-specific nature of MBW was the main criticality, which could potentially hinder the industrialisation of the MBW-SBO paradigm. The present work demonstrates the feasibility of a new scenario for a conventional waste treatment plan collecting and processing MBWs by anaerobic and aerobic fermentation. In essence, the virtuous biowaste cycle is realised by producing SBO from the plant MBW (process 1) and recirculating it to the MBW feed of the anaerobic fermentation reactor to reduce the ammonia content in the digestate (process 2). This mitigates the digestate's environmental impact. Life cycle sustainability assessment demonstrates that the use of SBO produced from local MBW allowed reducing the ammonia content of the digestate generated from the local anaerobic fermentation facilities in the three different countries by 21–68% as well its eutrophication potential. Process 2 allowed at least 86% OPEX cost saving compared to conventional digestate post-treatment technologies for ammonia abatement, while paying off the CAPEX cost in less than one year. Socio-economic analysis evaluated the impacts on workers and local community stakeholders, potentially stemming from the implementation of processes 1 and 2 at European level. The analysis of SBO composition and performances in each operational site investigated showed that improved performance of process 2 might be achieved by isolating the active principles in raw SBO prior to their use in process 2. Chemical and biochemical catalysis by SBO active principles in process 2 support the specific perspective