Ecological impacts of time-variable exposure regimes to the fungicide azoxystrobin on freshwater communities in outdoor microcosms

This paper evaluates the effects of different time-varying exposure patterns of the strobilurin fungicide azoxystrobin on freshwater microsocosm communities. These exposure patterns included two treatments with a similar peak but different time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations, and two treatments with similar TWA but different peak concentrations. The experiment was carried out in outdoor microcosms under four different exposure regimes; (1) a continuous application treatment of 10 μg/L (CAT10) for 42 days (2), a continuous application treatment of 33 μg/L (CAT33) for 42 days (3), a single application treatment of 33 μg/L (SAT33) and (4) a four application treatment of 16 μg/L (FAT16), with a time interval of 10 days. Mean measured 42-d TWA concentrations in the different treatments were 9.4 μg/L (CAT10), 32.8 μg/L (CAT33), 14.9 μg/L (SAT33) and 14.7 μg/L (FAT16). Multivariate analyses demonstrated significant changes in zooplankton community structure in all but the CAT10 treated microcosms relative to that of controls. The largest adverse effects were reported for zooplankton taxa belonging to Copepoda and Cladocera. By the end of the experimental period (day 42 after treatment), community effects were of similar magnitude for the pulsed treatment regimes, although the magnitude of the initial effect was larger in the SAT33 treatment. This indicates that for long-term effects the TWA is more important for most zooplankton species in the test system than the peak concentration. Azoxystrobin only slightly affected some species of the macroinvertebrate, phytoplankton and macrophyte assemblages. The overall no observed ecologically adverse effect concentrations (NOEAEC) in this study was 10 µg/L

Institutional trust and alcohol consumption in Sweden: The Swedish National Public Health Survey 2006

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Trust as a measure of social capital has been documented to be associated with health. Mediating factors for this association are not well investigated. Harmful alcohol consumption is believed to be one of the mediating factors. We hypothesized that low social capital defined as low institutional trust is associated with harmful alcohol consumption.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data from the 2006 Swedish National Survey of Public Health were used for analyses. The total study population comprised a randomly selected representative sample of 26.305 men and 30.584 women aged 16–84 years. Harmful alcohol consumption was measured using a short version the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), developed and recommended by the World Health Organisation. Low institutional trust was defined based on trust in ten main welfare institutions in Sweden.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Independent of age, country of birth and socioeconomic circumstances, low institutional trust was associated with increased likelihood of harmful alcohol consumption (OR (men) = 1.52, 95% CI 1.34–1.70) and (OR (women) = 1.50, 95% CI 1.35–1.66). This association was marginally altered after adjustment for interpersonal trust.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Findings of the present study show that lack of trust in institutions is associated with increased likelihood of harmful alcohol consumption. We hope that findings in the present study will inspire similar studies in other contexts and contribute to more knowledge on the association between institutional trust and lifestyle patterns. This evidence may contribute to policies and strategies related to alcohol consumption.</p

Temporal variability of antibiotics fluxes in wastewater and contribution from hospitals.

Significant quantities of antibiotics are used in all parts of the globe to treat diseases with bacterial origins. After ingestion, antibiotics are excreted by the patient and transmitted in due course to the aquatic environment. This study examined temporal fluctuations (monthly time scale) in antibiotic sources (ambulatory sales and data from a hospital dispensary) for Lausanne, Switzerland. Source variability (i.e., antibiotic consumption, monthly data for 2006-2010) were examined in detail for nine antibiotics--azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, metronidazole, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, from which two main conclusions were reached. First, some substances--azithromycin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin--displayed high seasonality in their consumption, with the winter peak being up to three times higher than the summer minimum. This seasonality in consumption resulted in seasonality in Predicted Environmental Concentrations (PECs). In addition, the seasonality in PECs was also influenced by that in the base wastewater flow. Second, the contribution of hospitals to the total load of antibiotics reaching the Lausanne Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP) fluctuated markedly on a monthly time scale, but with no seasonal pattern detected. That is, there was no connection between fluctuations in ambulatory and hospital consumption for the substances investigated

Estudo fenotípico e genotípico da resistência aos macrolídeos de "Streptococcus pneumoniae" isolados em hospitais de Porto Alegre - RS

OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a prevalência do S. pneumoniae resistente aos macrolídeos e identificar suas características fenotípicas e genotípicas. MÉTODOS: Amostras de S. pneumoniae isoladas entre maio de 2002 e agosto de 2004, em Porto Alegre (RS), a partir de materiais clínicos coletados de diferentes sítios anatômicos foram analisadas. Para o teste de difusão em ágar foram utilizados discos de eritromicina, claritromicina, azitromicina e clindamicina. As concentrações inibitórias mínimas de eritromicina foram determinadas nos isolados resistentes aos macrolídeos pelo método de diluição em ágar. Os fenótipos dos isolados resistentes aos macrolídeos foram investigados pelo teste de difusão em ágar e a genotipagem pela reação em cadeia da polimerase. RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados 229 isolados de pneumococos, e 12 mostraram-se resistentes aos macrolídeos (5,2%). Entre estes, 9 apresentaram o fenótipo MLSB (75%) e 3 o fenótipo M (25%). A reação em cadeia da polimerase indicou que 8 isolados com o fenótipo MLSB portavam apenas o gene ermB, enquanto que o gene mefE estava presente em todos os 3 isolados com o fenótipo M. Um isolado com o fenótipo MLSB apresentou ambos os genes. CONCLUSÃO: A resistência aos macrolídeos do S. pneumoniae em Porto Alegre permanece baixa, sendo devida principalmente à presença do gene ermB, com expressão do fenótipo MLSB.<br>OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae and to identify its phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. METHODS: Strains of S. pneumoniae isolated in the city of Porto Alegre between May 2002 and August 2004 from samples collected from different anatomical sites were analyzed. For the agar diffusion test, disks of erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin and clindamycin were used. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of erythromycin were determined for macrolide-resistant isolates by the agar dilution method. Macrolide-resistant isolates were phenotyped by agar diffusion test and genotyped by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: A total of 229 pneumococcal strains were evaluated, 12 (5.2%) of which were macrolide-resistant. Among the 12 resistant strains, 9 (75%) presented the MLSB phenotype, and 3 (25%) presented the M phenotype. Polymerase chain reaction testing indicated that 8 MLSB phenotype isolates harbored the ermB gene only, whereas the mefE gene was present in all 3 M phenotype isolates. One MLSB phenotype isolate presented both genes. CONCLUSION: In Porto Alegre, the S. pneumoniae resistance to macrolides is still low since such resistance is due primarily to the presence of the ermB gene expressing the MLSB phenotype