The Effects of Metals and Ocean Acidification on Marine Invertebrates

Increasing use of metal oxide nanoparticles (NP) by various industries has resulted in substantial contributions of NP in aquatic systems. Additionally, ocean acidification (OA) is a growing concern due to its deleterious effects on aquatic organisms. The effects of OA and metal pollution on non-calcifying marine organisms are largely unknown. This research investigated the effects of copper oxide (CuO) NP on the sea anemone, Exaiptasia pallida, for 21 days. Sea anemones were measured for tissue copper accumulation as well as the activity of the enzymes: catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and carbonic anhydrase (CA). This study is useful in discerning the differences between CuO NP and dissolved copper exposure to sea anemones, as differences in copper accumulation pattern and enzymatic response were observed. In addition, we examined physiological effects of the sea anemone, Exaiptasia pallida after exposure to a global stressor, CO2, and a local stressor, Cu, over 7 days. Cu accumulated in E. pallida in a concentration-dependent manner and activities of all anti-oxidant enzymes measured (CAT, GPx, GR) increased, with increasing Cu exposure. However, clear differences in only GR and to some degree GPx activity were observed due to increasing CO2 exposure alone. Interactions between the two independent variables were also observed. Activity of the enzyme, CA, was significantly decreased with increasing Cu and the extent of CA inhibition was lessened with increasing CO2. These results provide insight into toxic mechanisms of CuCl2, CuO NP and CO2 exposure to E. pallida.I. COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF DISSOLVED COPPER AND COPPER OXIDE NANOPARTICLE EXPOSURE TO THE SEA ANEMONE, EXAIPTASIA PALLIDA Introduction - 1 | Material and Methods - 3 | Results - 7 | Discussion and Conclusion - 11 | II. RESPONSES OF THE SEA ANEMONE, EXAIPTASIA PALLIDA, TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION CONDITIONS AND COPPER EXPOSURE Introduction - 21 | Material and Methods - 23 | Results - 27 | Discussion and Conclusion - 30 | III. CONCLUSION AND OVERALL IMPLICATIONS - 43 | REFERENCES - 44 |Bielmyer-Fraser, Gretchen K.Grove, Theresa J.Goddard, Russell H.M.S.Biolog

Ruptured ectopic pregnancy in the rudimentary horn of a Unicornuate uterus. A case report.

Ectopic pregnancy in rudimentary horn of a Unicornuate uterus is a very rare phenomenon, and usually presents in second trimester with rupture and hemoperitoneum. Diagnosis before its rupture is very challenging. We are presenting a case report of ruptured ectopic pregnancy in rudimentary horn of a Unicornuate uterus. A 26 years old gravida 4 para 2 with one early miscarriage, having first vaginal delivery and second delivery by Caesarean section due to fetal distress, presented in emergency with 4 months amenorrhea, severe lower abdominal pain for 2 days and signs and symptoms of shock. There was severe anemia and abdominal tenderness. Ultrasound showed, left ruptured ectopic pregnancy with 16 weeks size dead fetus present in the pelvic cavity and massive hemoperitoneum. After resuscitation laparotomy was performed. There was ruptured left rudimentary horn pregnancy. The horn was reserved and uterus was repaired. Multiple blood transfusions were done. Post-operative period remained uneventful

Accumulation and Effects of Dissolved and Nanoparticle Silver and Copper in Two Marine Seaweed Species

This study investigated the accumulation and effects of metal nanoparticles in two seaweed species, Ulva lactuca and Agardhiella subulata. Both seaweeds were exposed to silver nitrate (AgNO3), silver nanoparticles, and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles for 48 h. Metal accumulation occurred in both seaweed species in a concentration-dependent manner after 48 h exposure to each form of metal. In several cases, seaweeds exposed to AgNO3 (the dissolved form) accumulated comparatively higher tissue Ag concentration than seaweed exposed to Ag nanoparticles; and A. subulata had higher tissue Ag concentrations than U. lactuca after exposure to AgNO3 for 48 h. Additionally, clear differences were observed in the regulation of Ag between the two seaweed species. Photosynthetic toxicity (primarily due to decreased maximum electron transport rate) was observed in U. lactuca after exposure to AgNO3, Ag nanoparticles, and CuO nanoparticles. These results increase current knowledge about the differences in dissolved metal versus nanoparticle exposure in marine seaweeds and have implications in marine food webs

CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PATIENTS WITH SYNCHRONOUS PRIMARY OVARIAN AND ENDOMETRIAL CANCERS

Purpose: Synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian cancers are infrequent. The objective of this study is to evaluate clinicopathological characteristics of synchronous endometrial and ovarian cancers treated in our institution.Materials and Methods: The clinicopathological characteristics of 12 patients with synchronous ovarian and endometrial cancers treated at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan, from July 2005 to July 2015, were reviewed retrospectively in depth from hospital database. The WHO committee classification was used for the histologic determination and staged based on International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging. Results: The median age at the time of diagnosis was 50 years (range 23–66 years). The incidence of synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian cancers was 2.01% in patients with endometrial cancer. A total of seven patients were menopausal (58%) and eight patients were nulliparous (66%); the median body mass index (BMI) was 29 kg/m2 (range, 20–38). Abnormal uterine bleeding was the most common presenting symptom. According to FIGO stage, 10 cases of endometrial were Stage I/II (84%) and two cases were Stage III (16%). Of the ovarian cancers, nine cases were Stage I/II (83.3%) and two cases were Stage III (16.7%). Endometrial cancer was the main pathological type in uterine carcinoma (86%) followed by serous carcinoma (14%), and similarly, for ovarian cancer, endometrial was the most common pathology (67%) followed by serous/clear cell (16%) and mucinous (16.7%). Most endometrial and ovarian primaries in our series were Grade I and II tumours, 83% and 66%, respectively. 8 patients (66%) had similar histology in both primaries. All patients underwent surgical intervention. Only one patient did not receive any post-operative adjuvant therapy. 10 patients received platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy and six patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. Conclusion: Synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian cancers are infrequent and distinct set of patients. Abnormal per vaginal bleed was the most common symptom which helped in early detection. Majority of the patients belong to concordant endometrial histology, low grade, had younger age and high BMI. Treatment should be tailored to the stage, histology and grade of the individual tumours. Key words: Endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, synchronous tumour

Comparative behavioral ecotoxicology of Inland Silverside larvae exposed to pyrethroids across a salinity gradient

Pyrethroids, a class of commonly used insecticides, are frequently detected in aquatic environments, including estuaries. The influence that salinity has on organism physiology and the partitioning of hydrophobic chemicals, such as pyrethroids, has driven interest in how toxicity changes in saltwater compared to freshwater. Early life exposures in fish to pyrethroids cause toxicity at environmentally relevant concentrations, which can alter behavior. Behavior is a highly sensitive endpoint that influences overall organism fitness and can be used to detect toxicity of environmentally relevant concentrations of aquatic pollutants. Inland Silversides (Menidia beryllina), a commonly used euryhaline model fish species, were exposed from 5 days post fertilization (~1-day pre-hatch) for 96 h to six pyrethroids: bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, esfenvalerate and permethrin. Exposures were conducted at three salinities relevant to brackish, estuarine habitat (0.5, 2, and 6 PSU) and across 3 concentrations, either 0.1, 1, 10, and/or 100 ng/L, plus a control. After exposure, Inland Silversides underwent a behavioral assay in which larval fish were subjected to a dark and light cycle stimuli to determine behavioral toxicity. Assessment of total distanced moved and thigmotaxis (wall hugging), used to measure hyper/hypoactivity and anxiety like behavior, respectively, demonstrate that even at the lowest concentration of 0.1 ng/L pyrethroids can induce behavioral changes at all salinities. We found that toxicity decreased as salinity increased for all pyrethroids except permethrin. Additionally, we found evidence to suggest that the relationship between log KOW and thigmotaxis is altered between the lower and highest salinities

A Novel Nonsense Mutation in FERMT3 Causes LAD-III in a Pakistani Family

Leukocyte adhesion deficiency-III (LAD3) is an extremely rare primary immunodeficiency disorder, transmitted with autosomal-recessive inheritance. It is caused by genetic alteration in the FERMT3 gene, which leads to abnormal expression of kindlin-3. This cytoplasmic protein is highly expressed in leukocytes and platelets, and acts as an important regulator of integrin activation. LAD3 has features like bleeding syndrome of Glanzmann-type and leukocyte adhesion deficiency. FERMT3 mutation(s) have not been well characterized in Pakistani patients with LAD3. In this study, an infant and his family of Pakistani origin, presenting with clinical features of LAD, were investigated to determine the underlying genetic defect. Targeted next generation sequencing (TGS) and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify and confirm the causative mutations, respectively, and their segregation within the family. A novel, homozygous FERMT3 nonsense mutation (c.286C > T, p.Q96∗) was found in the proband, and its co-segregation with LAD3 phenotype within the family was consistent with an autosomal recessive inheritance. Both parents were carriers of the same mutation. This family was offered prenatal diagnosis during first trimester of the subsequent pregnancy; the fetus carried the variant. In conclusion, our study is the first report to identify the novel homozygous variant c.286C > T, p.Q96∗in the FERMT3 gene, which might be the causative mutation for LAD3 patients of Pakistani origin

Data Resource Profile: Understanding the patterns and determinants of health in South Asians-the South Asia Biobank.

Funder: Singapore Ministry of Health's National Medical Research CouncilFunder: National Institute for Health ResearchFunder: Wellcome Trust or the Department of HealthFunder: NIHR Biomedical Research Centre Cambridge: Nutrition, Diet, and Lifestyle Research Theme; Grant(s): IS-BRC-1215-2001

Consumer trust and confidence in the compliance of Islamic banks

Islamic banks compete with traditional (non-Islamic) banks for customers. This article aims to provide insight into why some Muslims choose to bank with Islamic banks in Pakistan, while others do not. Specifically, it addresses the questions: to what extent are trust and confidence active influencers in the decision-making process, are they differentiated or are they one of the same? Also how does the Pakistani collective cultural context further complicate the application of these concepts? For the purposes of this article trust refers to people and their interpersonal or social relations whereas confidence concerns institutions such as banks. Drawing on interviews with Muslim consumers in Pakistan, this study provides further insight into consumer behaviour within financial services and specifically Islamic banking and contributes to our theoretical understanding of the concepts of trust and confidence

Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in COVID-19.

Host-mediated lung inflammation is present1, and drives mortality2, in the critical illness caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Host genetic variants associated with critical illness may identify mechanistic targets for therapeutic development3. Here we report the results of the GenOMICC (Genetics Of Mortality In Critical Care) genome-wide association study in 2,244 critically ill patients with COVID-19 from 208 UK intensive care units. We have identified and replicated the following new genome-wide significant associations: on chromosome 12q24.13 (rs10735079, P = 1.65 × 10-8) in a gene cluster that encodes antiviral restriction enzyme activators (OAS1, OAS2 and OAS3); on chromosome 19p13.2 (rs74956615, P = 2.3 × 10-8) near the gene that encodes tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2); on chromosome 19p13.3 (rs2109069, P = 3.98 ×  10-12) within the gene that encodes dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9); and on chromosome 21q22.1 (rs2236757, P = 4.99 × 10-8) in the interferon receptor gene IFNAR2. We identified potential targets for repurposing of licensed medications: using Mendelian randomization, we found evidence that low expression of IFNAR2, or high expression of TYK2, are associated with life-threatening disease; and transcriptome-wide association in lung tissue revealed that high expression of the monocyte-macrophage chemotactic receptor CCR2 is associated with severe COVID-19. Our results identify robust genetic signals relating to key host antiviral defence mechanisms and mediators of inflammatory organ damage in COVID-19. Both mechanisms may be amenable to targeted treatment with existing drugs. However, large-scale randomized clinical trials will be essential before any change to clinical practice

Future water quality challenges to aquaculture and influences on product safety

Concerns about water quantity and quality are increasing due to climate change and population growth. Climate change is driving changes in evapotranspiration and precipitation patterns. This is exacerbated as population growth, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, increases water extraction and consumption. After human consumption, water is treated and discharged to the environment, but generally at lower quality than what was originally extracted. This could cause trouble for consumers of surface waters. One such consumer is the aquaculture industry, which is growing to support human protein consumption demands, while depending on surface water.Aquaculture is growing both globally and within the U.S. (worldwide 9.2% yr-11990-2000 & 6.2% yr-12000-2012). Freshwater aquaculture in the U.S. is largely dependent on surface water (80.78%) compared to ground water sources (19.32%). Surface water sources are increasingly dominated or dependent on treated wastewater effluent, potentially influencing downstream uses. Wastewater effluent generally contains trace levels of anthropogenic compounds, typically referred to as contaminants of emerging concern (CEC), for which our knowledge of their impacts is still evolving. Therefore, the introduction of CEC in aquaculture from surface waters influenced by wastewater effluent is a potential concern for cultured fish health as well as for humans when consuming farmed fish. Studies were conducted to improve our understanding of future water resource quality and quantity in relation to the aquaculture industry and safety of farmed fish. Initially, wastewater effluent data was collected (e.g., USGS), consolidated, and analyzed (e.g., GIS) to understand its influence on surface water quantity and quality, which was utilized to project potential future water quality and quantity scenarios in the USA and its potential effect on aquaculture. This was followed by laboratory-based studies to quantify the bioaccumulation and depuration in tilapia of diltiazem, an ionizable calcium channel blocker, and GenX, a perfluorinated compound, at environmentally relevant concentrations. To broadly examine the extent of U.S. surface waters to dilute wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, data from wastewater discharge and surface flow from 2007-2017 was used to calculate a WWTP wastewater dilution factor (WWDF) within United Sates Geological Society (USGS) hydrologic unit code (HUC). A WWDF less than 10 indicates poor quality water when classified on 100 DF scale. The 4 HUCs with the lowest WWDF (i.e., <2) were located in the West or Southwest U.S. and were among the 10 HUCs with the highest proportional population growth from 2010-2016, with similar projections for the future. To identify the end water user impact, U.S. aquaculture farm area with WWDF < 2 was mapped. It was quantified at ~ 2.71% of total freshwater area, out of which 69% and 44% of the area was occupied by aquaculture farms with 100-and 1000-acre areas, respectively. Water availability for the contiguous U.S. was estimated for each HUC during 2015 using a model developed from the earlier analysis of water quantity and quality in the U.S. The Mississippi River generally served as a dividing line for surface water availability, with five of the six HUC regions with very low water availability (<24,000 L/D/Km2) residing in the west. These same areas also experience more drought as well as more severe droughts than regions in the east. In regions with lower surface water flows, water quality is more susceptible to the influence of wastewater effluent discharge, especially near large and growing population centers like San Antonio, Texas. A prediction model was established for this city, which found that from 2009-2017 wastewater effluent increased by 1.8%. Diltiazem(DTZ)bioconcentrationanddepurationintilapiawasexaminedusingacontrolledtimesequence(maxtime=96hr)exposure(1μgL-1)andnon-exposure(maxtime=96hr)infreshwater.Fishcarcass,bloodplasma,liver,andmusclewereanalyzedinbothexposureanddepurationphases.Diltiazembioconcentrationwasgreatestinliver>plasma>carcass>muscle.Depurationratesweregreatestforliver>carcass>plasma>muscle.Thebiologicalhalf-life(t1/2)indicatesthatDTZtookthelongesttodepuratefrommuscleandleastfromtheliver,whichissimilarforthestablebioconcentrationfactor(BCFa)valueorder.Thet1/2ofDTZintilapiamusclewas18.8hrs,indicatingthecompoundisprocessedrelativelyquickly.Basedonthe96hrDTZuptakebytilapiafingerlingsinthisstudy,humanexposuretothehighestDTZmuscleconcentrationwouldbe~6ordersofmagnitudebelowthelowestdailyhumantherapeutic(120ppb)dose,resultinginverylowhumanexposure. GenX (ammonium 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy))bioconcentrationanddepurationintilapiawasexaminedusingacontrolledtimesequence(maxtime=96hr)exposure(1μgL-1)andnon-exposure(maxtime=96hr)infreshwaterandbrackishwater(16ppt).GenXbioconcentration (BCFa) was greatest in plasma > liver > carcass > muscle, with higher distribution in liver compared to carcass and muscle. Bioconcentration in all tissues examined increased with increasing salinity, raising concern for euryhaline organisms. Muscle was found to have the highest t1/2followed by carcass, plasma, and liver. The rate of uptake and depuration was affected bysalinity. Fish muscle (fillet) GenX concentration at 96 hrs at 0 ppt was 0.14 ppb whereas at 16 ppt it was 0.312 ppb. Therefore, a fillet serving size of ~3.5 oz (100 g) would contain 14.0 μg GenX from freshwaterfish and 31.2 μg GenX from saltwater (16 ppt) fish. This would result in a single serving exposing a person to more than the subchronic oral reference dose of 0.2 ppb as recommended by U.S. EPA. Water quality is a growing concern along with changing climate and increasing population. The projections and improved bioaccumulation models for farmed fish from this research will provide aquaculturists with knowledge to make pro-active management decisions regarding water quality in the future, while improving our general understanding of human exposure to CEC from nontraditional water use. It also helps to understand environmental exposure and ecological impacts of pharmaceuticals and other industrial chemicals for sustainable management of environmental quality, particularly in urbanizing ecosystems.Physical and Environmental SciencesCollege of Science and Engineerin