Long-term study of antibiotic presence in Ebro river basin (Spain): identification of the emission sources

Water monitoring is key to determining the presence of potentially hazardous substances related to urban activities and intensive farming. This research aimed to perform a long-term (four years) quantitative monitoring of selected antibiotics (azithromycin, enrofloxacin, trimethoprim and sulfadiazine) both in rivers and wastewaters belonging to the Ebro River basin (North of Spain). The target antibiotics were chosen on the basis of a preliminary multispecies screening. The analysis of the antibiotics was carried out by LC-MS/MS on wastewater-treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, effluents of a slaughterhouse and hospital, rivers downstream and upstream of these WWTPs, and rivers close to extensive farming areas. The ANOVA test was performed to study the significant differences between the points exposed to concrete emission sources and antibiotic concentration. The monitoring, carried out from 2018 to 2020, has been essential to illustrating the presence of the most abundant antibiotics that were detected in the Ebro River basin. Enrofloxacin has appeared in river waters in significant concentrations, especially near intensive farming, meanwhile azithromycin has been frequently detected in wastewaters. Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Intracerebral electrical stimulations of the temporal lobe: a stereo-electroencephalography study

The functional anatomy of the anteromesial portion of the temporal lobe and its involvement in epilepsy can be explored by means of intracerebral electrical stimulations. Here, we aimed to expand the knowledge of its physiological and pathophysiological symptoms by conducting the first large-sample systematic analysis of 1529 electrical stimulations of this anatomical region. We retrospectively analysed all clinical manifestations induced by intracerebral electrical stimulations in 173 patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy with at least one electrode implanted in this area. We found that high-frequency stimulations were more likely to evoke electroclinical manifestations (p < .0001) and also provoked ‘false positive’ seizures. Multimodal symptoms were associated with EEG electrical modification (after discharge) (p < .0001). Visual symptoms were not associated with after discharge (p = .0002) and were mainly evoked by stimulation of the hippocampus (p = .009) and of the parahippocampal gyrus (p = .0212). ‘False positive seizures’ can be evoked by stimulation of the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala, likely due to their intrinsic low epileptogenic threshold. Visual symptoms evoked in the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, without EEG changes, are physiological symptoms and suggest involvement of these areas in the visual ventral stream. Our findings provide meaningful guidance in the interpretation of intracranial EEG studies of the temporal lobe

First cases of combined full robotic partial nephrectomy and colorectal resections: Results and new perspectives

Background: Nowadays the robotic platform is widespread in general surgery, urology, and gynecology. Combined surgery may represent an alternative to sequential procedures and it allows the treatment, at the same time, of coexisting lesions; in this perspective, full-robotic multiorgan surgery is starting to gain interest from surgeons worldwide. Methods: Between April and June 2019, two patients presenting with synchronous colorectal and kidney cancers underwent, respectively, full-robotic right colectomy with right partial nephrectomy and anterior rectal resection with left partial nephrectomy. Surgeries were performed by both the general surgery and urology team. Results: No intraoperative complications were registered and the postoperative course was uneventful in both cases. Conclusions: Combined multiple organ surgery with full robotic technique is safe and offers oncological adequate results. A multi-team surgical pre-planning is mandatory to reduce invasiveness and operative time. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first reports of full robotic partial nephrectomy combined with colorectal procedures

Use of infrared thermography (IRT) in equine assisted interventions: physiological aspects

Infrared imaging thermography (IRT) is a technique widely used in wildlife studies and the assessment of animal welfare is among its fields of application. The heat emitted from superficial capillaries changes as blood flow is under control of the autonomic nervous system. For this reason, cutaneous temperature on selected areas can be considered as a good indicator of the health status and welfare of a particular individual. These changes in heat emitted can be quantified using IRT. The system consists of an infrared camera FLIR A65 (640 512 pixel, uncooled microbolometer detector, thermal sensitivity 0.05 \ub0C) with a 7\ub0 and 13\ub0 angle of view germanium tele lenses and a dedicated laptop. In the case of chimpanzees\u2019 studies, most of the available data derive from subjects kept in small enclosures, with little ecological validity. The aim of this research was to develop an infrared method allowing the acquisition of thermographic videos and images of animals at long distance. The system was tested on a group of eleven chimpanzees, in semi-natural conditions, housed at Parco Natura Viva in Bussolengo (Verona). The study ran between April and December 2016. Images and videos were shot at distance greater than 10 meters, during the everyday chimpanzees\u2019 life. The accuracy and repeatability of measurements was that typically reserved to the image acquisition with closer subjects at indoor conditions. Through this system it was possible to detect temperature variations in face layers by distinguishing the facial features of the subject. Thus, despite the distance from the animals, thanks to the good resolution of the system, the cutaneous temperatures were detected. In conclusion, IRT could be able to non-invasively detect different autonomic responses of the chimpanzees to different situations, suggesting that this system could be a valuable tool to study the chimpanzee\u2019s behavior and welfare at long distance

Beam-induced damage on diffractive hard X-ray optics

Beam-induced damage on diffractive hard X-ray optics is studied by means of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy

C7orf59/LAMTOR4 phosphorylation and structural flexibility modulate ragulator assembly

Ragulator is a pentamer composed of p18, MP1, p14, C7orf59, and hepatitis B virus X-interacting protein (HBXIP; LAMTOR 1-5) which acts as a lysosomal scaffold of the Rag GTPases in the amino acid sensitive branch of TORC1 signaling. Here, we present the crystal structure of human HBXIP-C7orf59 dimer (LAMTOR 4/5) at 2.9 angstrom and identify a phosphorylation site on C7orf59 which modulates its interaction with p18. Additionally, we demonstrate the requirement of HBXIP-C7orf59 to stabilize p18 and allow further binding of MP1-p14. The structure of the dimer revealed an unfolded N terminus in C7orf59 (residues 1-15) which was shown to be essential for p18 binding. Full-length p18 does not interact stably with MP1-p14 in the absence of HBXIP-C7orf59, but deletion of p18 residues 108-161 rescues MP1-p14 binding. C7orf59 was phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) in vitro and mutation of the conserved Ser67 residue to aspartate prevented phosphorylation and negatively affected the C7orf59 interaction with p18 both in cell culture and in vitro. C7orf59 Ser67 was phosphorylated in human embryonic kidney 293T cells. PKA activation with forskolin induced dissociation of p18 from C7orf59, which was prevented by the PKA inhibitor H-89. Our results highlight the essential role of HBXIP-C7orf59 dimer as a nucleator of pentameric Ragulator and support a sequential model of Ragulator assembly in which HBXIP-C7orf59 binds and stabilizes p18 which allows subsequent binding of MP1-p149915891602CNPQ - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e TecnológicoFAPESP – Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa Do Estado De São Paulo2014/12445-0; 2017/21455-7; 2014/17264-3190174/2012-

Cord blood calcium, phosphate, magnesium, and alkaline phosphatase gestational age-specific reference intervals for preterm infants

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objective was to determine the influence of gestational age, maternal, and neonatal variables on reference intervals for cord blood bone minerals (calcium, phosphate, magnesium) and related laboratory tests (alkaline phosphatase, and albumin-adjusted calcium), and to develop gestational age specific reference intervals based on infants without influential pathological conditions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional study. 702 babies were identified as candidates for this study in a regional referral neonatal unit. After exclusions (for anomalies, asphyxia, maternal magnesium sulfate administration, and death), relationships were examined between cord blood serum laboratory analytes (calcium, phosphate, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, and albumin-adjusted calcium) with gestation age and also with maternal and neonatal variables using multiple linear regression. Infants with influential pathological conditions were omitted from the development of gestational age specific reference intervals for the following categories: 23-27, 28-31, 32-34, 35-36 and > 36 weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the 506 preterm and 54 terms infants included in the sample. Phosphate, magnesium, and alkaline phosphatase in cord blood serum decreased with gestational age, calcium increased with gestational age. Those who were triplets, small for gestational age, and those whose mother had pregnancy-induced hypertension were influential for most of the analytes. The reference ranges for the preterm infants ≥ 36 weeks were: phosphate 1.5 to 2.6 mmol/L (4.5 to 8.0 mg/dL), calcium: 2.1 to 3.1 mmol/L (8.3 to 12.4 mg/dL); albumin-adjusted calcium: 2.3 to 3.2 mmol/L (9.1 to 12.9 mg/dL); magnesium 0.6 to 1.0 mmol/L (1.4 to 2.3 mg/dL), and alkaline phosphatase 60 to 301 units/L.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data suggest that gestational age, as well as potentially pathogenic maternal and neonatal variables should be considered in the development of reference intervals for preterm infants.</p

Three Decades and Counting: HIV Service Provision in Outpatient Mental Health Settings

OBJECTIVE: People with serious mental illness in the United States have higher human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection rates than the general U.S. population. This study aimed to assess delivery of HIV services in New York State’s outpatient mental health programs. Greater access would enhance efforts to improve HIV prevention and care outcomes. METHODS: The authors surveyed directors of licensed outpatient mental health care programs statewide to investigate their HIV service delivery. Data were compared with surveys conducted in 1997 and 2004 in order to examine differences in services between geographic regions and time periods. RESULTS: Outpatient mental health programs have improved in the volume and range of HIV services offered, but their provision of pre-exposure prophylaxis, condoms, HIV testing, and HIV antiretroviral treatment monitoring has lagged. CONCLUSIONS: New York’s initiative to end the HIV epidemic is not optimized to reach people with serious mental illness in settings designed for their care