Cinétique d'accumulation et rétention d'espèces du mercure chez l'étoile de mer Leptasterias polaris: une expérience de transfert trophique à long terme

Dans le cadre de travaux sur le rôle des échinodermes dans le cycle biogéochimique de certains métaux traces en milieu côtier, une étude de l'accumulation et de la rétention d'espèces chimiques du mercure a été menée avec l'étoile de mer Leptasterias polaris sur une période de 40 jours. Les étoiles de mer ont été divisées en deux groupes et nourries avec des moules contaminées soit au méthylmercure (MeHg) (14 mg.kg-1), soit au mercure inorganique (13 mg.kg-1). Les résultats montrent une vitesse d'accumulation dans le système digestif de 0,22 mg.kg-1.j-1 pour le Hg inorganique et 0,17 mg.kg-1.j-1 pour le MeHg. Ces vitesses sont 10 à 15 fois moins importantes dans les gonades et l'endosquelette. Pour le Hg inorganique, la charge relative dans les différents organes analysés se fixe après quelques jours et demeure stable jusqu'à la fin de l'expérience. Pour le MeHg, au contraire, cette charge relative passe progressivement du système digestif vers les gonades et l'exosquelette tout au long de l'expérience. Le pourcentage de rétention (%) demeure constant pour le Hg inorganique (51 ± 13%) mais il augmente régulièrement pour le MeHg, atteignant 90-95% vers la fin de l'exposition. L'application d'un modèle cinétique simple, basé sur un processus d'échange ionique, a permis de calculer des constantes de vitesse d'échange entre le digestat et le tissu digestif. Le MeHg s'échange plus vite entre la solution et les sites, mais semble mettre un peu plus de temps à voyager jusqu'aux organes de bioaccumulation. En conclusion, l'étoile L. polaris, par sa taille, sa longévité et sa grande efficacité à digérer tout ce qui est ingéré, semble en mesure de jouer un rôle important à la fois dans la séquestration du MeHg et la remise en solution du Hg inorganique.In spite of a large body of work on the uptake of trace metals in aquatic organisms in the last two decades, very little attention has been devoted to echinoderms (urchins, starfish, and sea cucumbers, among the most important ones), a large group of invertebrates forming a major component of most coastal ecosystems. In the course of our research program on the role of echinoderms in the biogeochemical cycling of some trace metals in coastal environment, an experiment has been conducted on the uptake and the retention of mercury species with starfish Leptasterias polaris over a 40-day exposure period.Starfish were caught near Pointe-au-Père (Québec, Canada) and were acclimatized to laboratory conditions for 10 days in a flow-through aquarium. Forty stars (84 ± 14 g) were divided in two groups, kept in two aquariums, one for inorganic mercury and the other for methylmercury exposure. Animals were isolated from each other by mean of small 65-mm net cubicles allowing free circulation of seawater at a rate of 2 L.min-1. This flow rate provided a rapid renewal of seawater and ensured the elimination of any soluble mercury excreted during the course of the experiment. Control starfish receiving only uncontaminated mussels were also maintained in both aquariums to monitor the possible uptake of mercury from seawater. Blue mussels were collected in the vicinity of Pointe-au-Père and were contaminated following a technique described elsewhere (PELLETIER and LAROCQUE, 1987). Average levels of inorganic mercury and methylmercury (MeHg) in mussels were 13 ± 3 and 14 ± 4 mg.kg-1, respectively. Each starfish received one contaminated mussel per day over a 40-day period. Mussels were weighed before to be introduced in cages and their empty shells weighed again after ingestion by starfish in order to evaluate the amount of food and mercury taken up daily by each star. Two starfish were sampled in each aquarium every five days and dissected for pyloric caeca, gonads, and endoskeleton. Coelomic fluid was also collected. Both mercury species were analysed as total mercury (assuming a preservation level of ± 85-90% of the speciation during the course of the experiment) in biological tissues by cold vapour atomic adsorption spectrophotometry (detection limit=0.005 mg.kg-1 ww). The coefficient of variation was ± 15% and the recovery yield of MeHg-spiked samples was 92 ± 12%.The concentration of inorganic mercury reached 7.56 mg.kg-1 (wet weight) in pyloric caeca and the uptake rate was 0.22 mg.kg-1.d-1. Concentrations in gonads and endoskeleton were 10 to 20 times lower than in caeca (Fig. 1). The uptake rate of MeHg (0.17 mg.kg-1d-1) was slightly slower and the maximum concentration reached in caeca was 5.34 mg.kg-1. Mercury concentrations found in coelomic fluid were low and at least 100 times smaller than those in ceaca. No mercury was found in tissues of control starfish indicating that mercury excreted by diffusion in water by contaminated starfish was not re-adsorbed by other starfish in aquariums. The mercury load in each organ of stars was calculated and expressed as a percent (%) of total Hg uptake for each chemical species (Fig. 2). The inorganic Hg loads in pyloric caeca, gonads and endoskeleton reached a steady-state after only 10 days and remained unchanged up to the end of the experiment. The behaviour of MeHg was totally different as the loads in caeca decreased from 95% to 65% but increased from almost zero up to 30% in endoskeleton. Finally, the retention (%) of mercury species was calculated by dividing the actual total amount of mercury in each starfish by the total amount of mercury received from mussels (Fig. 3). The retention of inorganic Hg was about 50% throughout the exposure period whereas the retention of MeHg increased up to 90-95% at the end of the experiment.A kinetic model, based upon the assumption that the uptake process of Hg species in the digestive system is quite similar to an ion-exchange adsorption mechanism between a contamination solution and a solid surface, was developed. The integrated equation of the rate law was expressed as: (ln(C0-q))/q0-q = K'(C0m-q0)t + ln (C0m/q0)were Co is the initial concentration of mercury in the prey, qo is the maximun amount of mercury being absorbed, and m stands for the wet weight of the animal. This equation allowed the plot of its left-hand side against time and the slope provided an estimation of an apparent exchange rate constant for each mercury species (Fig. 4). The rate constant k'MeHg was slightly higher than k'Hg, indicating a faster exchange rate for MeHg between digested mussel tissues and binding sites (and also between sites) in caeca. However, a faster exchange rate do not mean a faster uptake rate because transport rate towards other organs also play an important role in the whole bioaccumulation process. In conclusion, starfish, by its ability to digest all ingested tissues, seems to be in a position to play a major role in the sequestration of methylmercury (high retention) from mussels and from other potential preys and in recycling inorganic mercury in solution (low retention). Starfish can be seen as "marine digester" which engulfs bivalves and other invertebrates (following species) and sends back soluble metabolites and trace metals which have not been bioaccumulated

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Dutch version of the Functional Index for Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) and a study on its construct validity

SummaryObjectiveTo validate a cross-culturally translated and adapted Dutch version of the Functional Index for Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hands and to evaluate its construct validity by comparing with the Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN).MethodsThe FIHOA was translated into Dutch and cross-culturally adapted. The questionnaire was administered to 72 patients with hand OA (female/male ratio: 64/8, handedness: right: 62/left: 7/both: 3). A visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scale (100mm) and the AUSCAN questionnaire were also recorded. An item–item analysis was performed. Test–retest reliability (time interval: 5 days) was assessed in 21 patients with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland and Altman graphical method. Construct validity was assessed by Spearman rank correlation coefficient between the FIHOA and AUSCAN.ResultsInternal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha=0.89). All items, except for one (‘Are you able to clench the fist?’), and the mean total FIHOA scores were statistically different between the subgroups based on the VAS (mean total score=7.46 and 14.19, in a-/mild symptomatic and symptomatic group, respectively (P<0.001)).The Spearman's correlation between all subscales of the AUSCAN (pain, stiffness, functionality) and the FIHOA was good, especially with the subscale functionality (r=0.81, P<0.01). Test–retest reliability was excellent with an ICC of 0.96 for the total score and the Bland and Altman plot showing a homogeneous distribution of the differences.ConclusionThe psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the FIHOA are excellent. There is a good correlation between the FIHOA and all subscales of the AUSCAN, especially the subscale functionality

The effect of deworming on growth in one-year-old children living in a soil-transmitted helminth-endemic area of Peru: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND:Appropriate health and nutrition interventions to prevent long-term adverse effects in children are necessary before two years of age. One such intervention may include population-based deworming, recommended as of 12 months of age by the World Health Organization in soil-transmitted helminth (STH)-endemic areas; however, the benefit of deworming has been understudied in early preschool-age children. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to determine the effect of deworming (500 mg single-dose crushed mebendazole tablet) on growth in one-year-old children in Iquitos, Peru. Children were enrolled during their routine 12-month growth and development clinic visit and followed up at their 18 and 24-month visits. Children were randomly allocated to: Group 1: deworming at 12 months and placebo at 18 months; Group 2: placebo at 12 months and deworming at 18 months; Group 3: deworming at both 12 and 18 months; or Group 4: placebo at both 12 and 18 months (i.e. control group). The primary outcome was weight gain at the 24-month visit. An intention-to-treat approach was used. A total of 1760 children were enrolled between September 2011 and June 2012. Follow-up of 1563 children (88.8%) was completed by July 2013. STH infection was of low prevalence and predominantly light intensity in the study population. All groups gained between 1.93 and 2.05 kg on average over 12 months; the average difference in weight gain (kg) compared to placebo was: 0.05 (95% CI: -0.05, 0.17) in Group 1; -0.07 (95%CI: -0.17, 0.04) in Group 2; and 0.04 (95%CI: -0.06, 0.14) in Group 3. There was no statistically significant difference in weight gain in any of the deworming intervention groups compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS:Overall, with one year of follow-up, no effect of deworming on growth could be detected in this population of preschool-age children. Low baseline STH prevalence and intensity and/or access to deworming drugs outside of the trial may have diluted the potential effect of the intervention. Additional research is required to overcome these challenges and to contribute to strengthening the evidence base on deworming. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01314937)

Commentary: osteoarthritis of the knee and glucosamine

peer reviewe

It Is the time to think about a treat-to-target strategy for knee osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a rheumatic disease that affects the well-being of the patient, compromises physical and mental function, and affects other quality of life aspects. In the literature, several evidence-based guidelines and recommendations for the management of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) are available. These recommendations list the different therapeutic options rather than addressing a hierarchy between the treatments and defining the real target. Therefore, a question arises: are patients and physicians satisfied with the current management of KOA? Actually, the answer may be negative, thus suggesting a change in our therapeutic strategies. In this article, we address this challenge by suggesting that it is time to develop a “treat to target strategy” for KO

Automatic radiographic quantification of hand osteoarthritis; accuracy and sensitivity to change in joint space width in a phantom and cadaver study

This is the final version of the article. Available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.OBJECTIVE: To validate a newly developed quantification method that automatically detects and quantifies the joint space width (JSW) in hand radiographs. Repeatability, accuracy and sensitivity to changes in JSW were determined. The influence of joint location and joint shape on the measurements was tested. METHODS: A mechanical micrometer set-up was developed to define and adjust the true JSW in an acrylic phantom joint and in human cadaver-derived phalangeal joints. Radiographic measurements of the JSW were compared to the true JSW. Repeatability, systematic error (accuracy) and sensitivity (defined as the smallest detectable difference (SDD)) were determined. The influence of joint position on the JSW measurement was assessed by varying the location of the acrylic phantom on the X-ray detector with respect to the X-ray beam and the influence of joint shape was determined by using morphologically different human cadaver joints. RESULTS: The mean systematic error was 0.052 mm in the phantom joint and 0.210 mm in the cadaver experiment. In the phantom experiments, the repeatability was high (SDD = 0.028 mm), but differed slightly between joint locations (p = 0.046), and a change in JSW of 0.037 mm could be detected. Dependent of the joint shape in the cadaver hand, a change in JSW between 0.018 and 0.047 mm could be detected. CONCLUSIONS: The automatic quantification method is sensitive to small changes in JSW. Considering the published data of JSW decline in the normal and osteoarthritic population, the first signs of OA progression with this method can be detected within 1 or 2 years.This work was funded by the Dutch Arthritis Association (Reumafonds). The study sponsor had no involvement in study design, data collection, data analysis, or interpretation of the results