1
|
Sun X, Yang R, Ji J, Zhu Z, White JC, Shen Y. An evaluation of microplastic contamination in the marine waters and species in the coastal region of the South Yellow Sea, China. J Hazard Mater 2024; 469:134018. [PMID: 38492402 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) contamination of marine environments poses a significant ecological risk, although impacts on species' realized niche spaces remain unclear. The current study investigates MPs distribution across pelagic habitats, benthic sediments, and key biota in the South Yellow Sea, China. Samples were collected via trawling across estuarine transects, and tissues were digested to extract MPs. Density gradient separations and vacuum-filtrations prepared particle extracts for ATR-FTIR and Micro-Raman spectroscopic characterization. Sampling along industrialized river transects reveals ubiquitous plastic particle presence, with concentrations ranging from 0 to 51.68 item/L seawater. Contamination levels reach their peak at station estuaries before dispersing offshore, indicating significant waste stream inputs. Importantly, MPs detected in demersal and pelagic fish species, as well as in bivalves, confirm exposure across trophic niches. Gastrointestinal tract and gill concentrations reached 0.6 items/g fresh tissue, reflecting significant biological uptake and in vivo retention. The greatest population of organisms occurred adjacent to polluted areas. Overall, distribution of MPs from polluted rivers to coastal food webs was evident, suggesting potential negative impacts on key ecological functions in this system. These findings underscore the need to develop upstream mitigation efforts so as to minimize MPs contamination in areas where nearshore and offshore niches intersect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, Jiangsu Synthetic Innovation Center for Coastal Bio-Agriculture, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, School of Wetland, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224001, China; Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, National Positioning Observation Station of Hung-tse Lake Wetland Ecosystem in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Ruiping Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, Jiangsu Synthetic Innovation Center for Coastal Bio-Agriculture, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, School of Wetland, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224001, China
| | - Jing Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, Jiangsu Synthetic Innovation Center for Coastal Bio-Agriculture, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, School of Wetland, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224001, China
| | - Zebin Zhu
- Jiangsu Yancheng Environmental Monitoring Center, Yancheng 224001, China
| | - Jason C White
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Yu Shen
- Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, National Positioning Observation Station of Hung-tse Lake Wetland Ecosystem in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Horton AA, Weerasinghe KDI, Mayor DJ, Lampitt R. Microplastics in commercial marine fish species in the UK - A case study in the River Thames and the River Stour (East Anglia) estuaries. Sci Total Environ 2024; 915:170170. [PMID: 38232843 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the abundance of microplastics in the gastro-intestinal tracts of three commercially important fish species in the UK, to determine whether catch location, feeding habits and fish size influence the amount of microplastics within fish. Fish were collected from two rivers in the UK: the River Thames and the River Stour (East Anglia). Fish were collected from two sites in the River Thames and one site in the River Stour. Species selected were European flounder (Platichthys flesus), whiting (Merlangius merlangus), and Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), and were chosen to represent benthic and pelagic feeding habits. Across all locations, 41.5 % of fish had ingested at least one microplastic particle (37.5 % of European flounder, 52.2 % of whiting, and 28.6 % of Atlantic herring). The average number by species was 1.98 (±3.50) microplastics/fish in European flounder, 2.46 (±3.10) microplastics/fish in whiting and 1.47 (±3.17) microplastics/fish in herring. There were no significant differences in the number or mass of microplastics in fish based on river, site, species or habitat. However, the number and mass of microplastics within benthic fish (European flounder) in the River Stour were significantly higher than in benthic fish from the River Thames. By number of microplastics, larger and heavier fish were more highly contaminated. This study enhances our understanding of microplastics in commercially important fish but highlights that fish contamination is not easily predicted by feeding habits or catch location alone. Exposure and uptake is likely to vary with changing environmental conditions. Fish size tends to be a good predictor of contamination, with larger fish generally containing more microplastics. This is the first study to directly compare concentrations of microplastics in fish from different UK rivers and the first evidence of microplastics in the River Stour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice A Horton
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.
| | - K D Isuri Weerasinghe
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK; University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; University of Galway, University Road, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Daniel J Mayor
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK; Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Richard Lampitt
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Peperzak L, Casas-Monroy O, Bailey SA. Validation of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) model for 10-50 μm plankton. Mar Pollut Bull 2024; 200:116066. [PMID: 38278016 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
A recent model demonstrated that the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of spherical aquatic organisms with a 10 to 50 μm diameter is between 0.16 and 19.9 pg cell-1. Here, the model is validated by comparing microscopy-based counts with ATP concentrations from a commercial ATP kit. The measured ATP content of both freshwater and marine organisms 10 to 50 μm size range falls in the 0.16 to 19.9 pg cell-1 model range. On average, freshwater organisms contain 0.33 pg ATP cell-1, have a spherical equivalent diameter (SED) of 13 μm, while marine organisms have 0.89 pg ATP cell-1 and a SED of 18 μm. In addition, their 13 to 18 μm size is within the 10 to 50 μm ballast water size range and in agreement with the 15 μm mean SED of a coastal plankton size-distribution model. This study concludes that the ATP-model is reliable, emphasizing the need for caution when converting three-dimensional biomass proxies into linear cell concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Louis Peperzak
- NIOZ Royal Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine & Delta Systems, PO Box 59, NL-1790 AB Den Burg, the Netherlands.
| | - Oscar Casas-Monroy
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Sarah A Bailey
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
do Amparo SZS, Carvalho LDO, Silva GG, Viana MM. Microplastics as contaminants in the Brazilian environment: an updated review. Environ Monit Assess 2023; 195:1414. [PMID: 37925384 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-12011-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have long been present in marine and terrestrial environments and have emerged in recent decades as a global environmental concern. This pollutant has been detected with increasing frequency in Brazilian territory and herein primarily highlights current information and developments about the quantity, distribution, techniques of identification, origins, and sources of microplastics and related pollutants in the Brazilian environment. We evaluated 79 publications from 2018 to December 2022, and some aspects can be highlighted: 27% of studies were published in the Journal Marine Pollution Bulletin; 22% of all studies were conducted in São Paulo city; and 52% of all microplastics found were collected from biota followed by sediment samples. According to the findings given here, microplastics in Brazilian habitats, which can reach concentrations of 4367 to 25,794 items m-2 in sediments, are becoming a serious problem in the Anthropocene age, and some topics regarding the open questions in this area were pointed out in this review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sthéfany Z S do Amparo
- Departamento de Química-ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, ZIP 30.270-901, Brazil.
- Centro de Tecnologia em Nanomateriais e Grafeno - CTNano, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, ZIP 31.310-260, Brazil.
| | - Luciana de O Carvalho
- Departamento de Química-ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, ZIP 30.270-901, Brazil
- Centro de Tecnologia em Nanomateriais e Grafeno - CTNano, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, ZIP 31.310-260, Brazil
| | - Glaura G Silva
- Departamento de Química-ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, ZIP 30.270-901, Brazil
- Centro de Tecnologia em Nanomateriais e Grafeno - CTNano, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, ZIP 31.310-260, Brazil
| | - Marcelo M Viana
- Departamento de Química-ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, ZIP 30.270-901, Brazil.
- Centro de Tecnologia em Nanomateriais e Grafeno - CTNano, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, ZIP 31.310-260, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mendes DS, Beasley CR, Silva DNN, Fernandes MEB. Microplastic in mangroves: A worldwide review of contamination in biotic and abiotic matrices. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 195:115552. [PMID: 37738877 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
This review presents the spatial distribution (where) and the methods applied (how) in assessing Microplastics (MPs) contamination in sediments, water, and organisms in mangrove areas. We analyzed 53 articles on MPs in Asia, America, and Africa and produced by 359 authors, although very localized, lacking wide-scale coverage of mangrove coasts around the world. The results showed that most of studies provided MP's bulk characteristics (type, size, color, form), along with global gross reserves of MPs in the mangrove compartments. Investigations in mangrove areas are still relatively limited. Therefore, for future research, it is relevant to enhance spatial and temporal sampling of MP contamination and to establish standardized protocols to enable effective comparisons between mangrove areas, rivers, beaches, and coastal seas. In addition, it is crucial to investigate the role of MPs as carriers or vectors of other pollutants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dayene Santiago Mendes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Ambiental, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS) Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Bragança, PA, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia de Manguezal (LAMA), Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Bragança, PA, Brazil.
| | - Colin Robert Beasley
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Ambiental, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS) Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Bragança, PA, Brazil; Laboratório de Conservação da Biodiversidade e das Águas, Campus Bragança, Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Bragança, PA, Brazil.
| | - Daniel Nobre Nunes Silva
- Laboratório de Ciência e Engenharia de Petróleo (LCPetro), Campus Salinópolis, Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Salinópolis, PA, Brazil.
| | - Marcus Emanuel Barroncas Fernandes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Ambiental, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS) Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Bragança, PA, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia de Manguezal (LAMA), Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Bragança, PA, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cai X, Chen H, Cheng J, Huang B, Jin B, Lu J. Coupling of microplastic contamination in organisms and the environment: Evidence from the tidal flat ecosystem of Hangzhou Bay, China. J Hazard Mater 2023; 457:131838. [PMID: 37320899 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are a new type of contaminant, widely defined as fragmented plastics with the longest dimension or diameter less than 5 mm, that are widely distributed, difficult to degrade, and easily adsorb other pollutants. Estuaries are key habitats where terrestrial microplastics flow in water runoff and import into the ocean. The ubiquitous use of plastics has resulted in a massive amount of plastic waste that is released and accumulated in bay ecosystems, posing serious ecological impacts. The study of microplastic contamination in Hangzhou Bay, the estuary of the Qiantang River, has important theoretical value in ecology and environmental science. Microplastic contamination in the tidal flats and organisms of Hangzhou Bay is serious and microplastic characteristics (type, size, and polymer type) in organisms were significantly correlated with those in the environmental media. Spatial autocorrelation was found in the abundance of microplastics in marine and tidal flat sediments of Hangzhou Bay, China, but no spatial autocorrelation was found in the sediment environment as a whole. The microplastic abundance in each organism in this study was not statistically correlated by weight or by individual count with its corresponding trophic level (P = 0.239 > 0.05; P = 0.492 > 0.05, respectively). Our study suggests a coupling relationship of microplastic contamination between organisms and the environment and can provide essential data and a scientific foundation for the study of microplastics pollution in Hangzhou Bay, as well as provide important evidence for the ecological and health risk assessment of microplastics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Cai
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Huili Chen
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
| | - Jie Cheng
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Marine Ecological Environmental Monitoring Center of Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan 316021, China
| | - Bei Huang
- Marine Ecological Environmental Monitoring Center of Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan 316021, China
| | - Binsong Jin
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
| | - Jianbo Lu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Padmachandran AV, Sreethu N, Nasrin F, Muthuchamy M, Muthukumar A. Presence of microplastics in estuarine environment: a case study from Kavvayi and Kumbla backwaters of Malabar Coast, Kerala, India. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-26936-z. [PMID: 37060408 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26936-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are gaining global attention in recent years due to its widespread distribution and potential health impacts. The present study focuses on the distribution and characterisation of microplastics in the sediments and its transfer into the organisms living in Kavvayi and Kumbla backwaters of Northern Malabar region, Kerala, India. MP isolation procedures including density separation, organic matter digestion, and membrane filtration followed by visual and spectral analyses using optical microscope and confocal Raman spectroscopy have been utilised for the microplastic evaluation. Microplastics of size range up to 1 μm was analysed, and the presence of MPs was detected in all samples with an average abundance of 99.5 ± 69.43 particles/kg and 96.57 ± 29.96 particles/kg in Kavvayi and Kumbla backwaters respectively. Raman spectral analysis confirmed that almost 50% of MPs to be synthetic elastomers with the remaining half encompassed by polyamide, polyethylene, polyester, polyurethane, and polypropylene. Higher abundance of MPs in the edible aquatic organisms like clams, prawns, and fishes confirmed the transfer of MP from the environment into living organisms envisages the need of further investigation on toxicological impacts and management strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aiswriya V Padmachandran
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth Science Systems, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Nhavilthodi Sreethu
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth Science Systems, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Fathima Nasrin
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth Science Systems, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Muthukumar Muthuchamy
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth Science Systems, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Anbazhagi Muthukumar
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth Science Systems, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Han B, Wang G, Liu A, Zheng Y, Zheng L, Ding R. Characteristics and source analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in organisms and manure near Ardley Island, Antarctica. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 188:114577. [PMID: 36689872 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In order to better understand the migration and accumulation behavior of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in biological chains in the cold environment around the Ardley Island, a variety of biological and penguin manure samples during China's 36th Antarctic Scientific expedition have been collected and studied. A certain difference in PAHs concentration was observed in the environmental samples, and the order of size was as follows: fish > limpets > krill > manure > brown alga > mosses. The percentage of PAHs with different ring numbers in brown alga, moss, and krill was in the following order: three rings > two rings > four rings > five rings > six rings. The proportion of HMW-PAHs in limpets and fish samples was higher than that in brown alga, moss, manure, and krill samples. The main source of PAHs in environmental samples near Ardley Island is oil, which may be due to the development of tourism in Antarctica, the number of ships and human activities around the region. Therefore, it is imperative to strengthen the protection of the ecological environment in the area around Ardley Island.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Han
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, The First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China.
| | - Gui Wang
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, The First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China; Qingdao Innovation and Development Center, Harbin Engineering University, Qingdao 266500, China
| | - Ang Liu
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, The First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Yunchao Zheng
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, The First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Li Zheng
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, The First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China.
| | - Runtian Ding
- Qingdao Hailukong Environmental Automatic-control Engineering Co., Ltd, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Dong K, Wu W, Chen J, Xiang J, Jin X. A study on treatment efficacy of ballast water treatment system applying filtration + membrane separation + deoxygenation technology during shipboard testing. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 188:114620. [PMID: 36680951 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The efficacy of a BWMS with filtration + membrane separation + deoxygenation technology in treating ballast water was investigated under marine operational circumstances in five shipboard tests. The shipboard tests were carried out between August 2020 and March 2021 onboard a bulk carrier JIN HAI HUA, which sailed between Mawei, Qinhuangdao and Caofeidian in China throughout spring, summer, and fall season. The discharge results in all five tests met the D-2 standard in IMO BWMS Code, with the shortest holding time of less than three days. The BWMS does not involve application of chemicals or generation of by-products, and is considered to be an appropriate choice for certain types of ships.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kairui Dong
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Centre for Research on the Ecological Security of Ports and Shipping, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Wenjun Wu
- DNV AS, Veritasveien 1, 1363 Høvik, Norway
| | - Jianwu Chen
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Centre for Research on the Ecological Security of Ports and Shipping, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Jieyou Xiang
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Centre for Research on the Ecological Security of Ports and Shipping, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xing Jin
- Jiangsu Nanji Machinery Company Ltd., Taixing 225400, Jiangsu, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Guzmán-Arocho YD, Helland TL, VanderLaan PA, Torous VF. Multi-institutional 10-year retrospective review of amoeba diagnosed on cytologic evaluation of anal pap tests: what is the significance? J Am Soc Cytopathol 2023; 12:197-205. [PMID: 36935302 DOI: 10.1016/j.jasc.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Intestinal amoebae are usually transmitted via ingestion of amoebic cysts in fecally contaminated water or food. However, other modes of transmission include sexual contact through anal-oral sex. While the primary role of anal cytology is the detection of anal cancer and precursor lesions, organisms can also be identified. Despite this, assessment of the clinical significance of cytologic identification of amoebae is lacking in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS A 10-year retrospective review of the pathology archives of 2 institutions in Boston, Massachusetts was conducted. Anal Pap tests that identified amoeba were reviewed and correlated with the medical records for investigation into clinical parameters and patient management. RESULTS A total of 46 cases were identified between the 2 sites. The majority of patients were male (95.7%) and endorsed having sex with men (84.8%). Only a minority endorsed recent travel (6.5%). Most of the patients were also HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)-positive (71.1%) with all of these patients being well-controlled on antiretroviral therapy. Most patients were asymptomatic (87.0%). On review of the anal Pap tests, the average organism number per case was 35.4. In the majority of cases, follow-up microbiology testing for confirmation and/or speciation was not performed (89.1%) and were not treated (93.5%). CONCLUSIONS While identification of amoeba is possible on anal cytology, the clinical significance remains unclear as most patients were asymptomatic and not treated in this series. Ultimately, the clinical setting likely plays an important role in determination of management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaileen D Guzmán-Arocho
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - T Leif Helland
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Paul A VanderLaan
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Vanda F Torous
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Veit W. Health, consciousness, and the evolution of subjects. Synthese 2023; 201:3. [PMID: 36570034 PMCID: PMC9763143 DOI: 10.1007/s11229-022-03998-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The goal of this programmatic paper is to highlight a close connection between the core problem in the philosophy of medicine, i.e. the concept of health, and the core problem of the philosophy of mind, i.e. the concept of consciousness. I show when we look at these phenomena together, taking the evolutionary perspective of modern state-based behavioural and life-history theory used as the teleonomic tool to Darwinize the agent- and subject-side of organisms, we will be in a better position to make sense of them both as natural phenomena.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Walter Veit
- Department of Philosophy, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhang Y, Lyu L, Tao Y, Ju H, Chen J. Health risks of phthalates: A review of immunotoxicity. Environ Pollut 2022; 313:120173. [PMID: 36113640 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Phthalates (PAEs) are known environmental endocrine disruptors that have been widely detected in several environments, and many studies have reported the immunotoxic effects of these compounds. Here, we reviewed relevant published studies, summarized the occurrence and major metabolic pathways of six typical PAEs (DMP, DEP, DBP, BBP, DEHP, and DOP) in water, soil, and the atmosphere, degradation and metabolic pathways under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and explored the molecular mechanisms of the toxic effects of eleven PAEs (DEHP, DPP, DPrP, DHP, DEP, DBP, MBP, MBzP, BBP, DiNP, and DMP) on the immune system of different organisms at the gene, protein, and cellular levels. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which PAEs affect immune system function through regulation of immune gene expression and enzymes, increased ROS, immune signaling pathways, specific and non-specific immunosuppression, and interference with the complement system. By summarizing the effects of these compounds on typical model organisms, this review provides insights into the mechanisms by which PAEs affect the immune system, thus supplementing human immune experiments. Finally, we discuss the future direction of PAEs immunotoxicity research, thus providing a framework for the analysis of other environmental pollutants, as well as a basis for PAEs management and safe use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, PR China.
| | - Liang Lyu
- College of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, PR China.
| | - Yue Tao
- College of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, PR China.
| | - Hanxun Ju
- College of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, PR China.
| | - Jie Chen
- Rural Energy Station of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, 150030, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Wojcieszyńska D, Guzik H, Guzik U. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic in the context of the human and the environment. Sci Total Environ 2022; 834:155317. [PMID: 35452725 PMCID: PMC9015952 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
From 2019, life in the world has mainly been determined by successive waves of the COVID-19 epidemic. During this time, the virus structure, action, short- and long-term effects of the infection were discovered, and treatments were developed. This epidemic undoubtedly affected people's lives, but increasing attention is also being paid to the effects of the epidemic on the environment. Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines, a global scoping review of peer-reviewed information has been conducted on the use of over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infections and their positive and negative effects on the human body, the effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on aquatic organisms, and their adverse effects on non-target organisms. The literature from 1998 to 2021 was analysed using the Scopus®, Web of Science™ (WoS) and Google Scholar databases. As non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs place a heavy burden on the environment, all reports of the presence of these drugs in the environment during the pandemic period have been thoroughly analysed. Of the 70 peer-reviewed records within the scope, only 14% (n = 10) focussed on the analysis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs concentrations in wastewater and surface waters during the pandemic period. The percentage of these works indicates that it is still an open topic, and this issue should be supplemented with further reports in which the results obtained during the pandemic, which has been going on for several years, will be published. The authors hope this review will inspire scientists to investigate the problem of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the environment to protect them for the next generation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danuta Wojcieszyńska
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Science, University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
| | - Henryk Guzik
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Silesia, Ziołowa 45/47, 40-635 Katowice, Poland
| | - Urszula Guzik
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Science, University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Shah HA, Liu J, Yang Z, Zhang X, Feng J. DeepRF: A deep learning method for predicting metabolic pathways in organisms based on annotated genomes. Comput Biol Med 2022; 147:105756. [PMID: 35759992 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The rapid increase of metabolomics has led to an increasing focus on metabolic pathway modeling and reconstruction. In particular, reconstructing an organism's metabolic network based on its genome sequence is a key challenge in systems biology. The method used to address this problem predicts the presence or absence of metabolic pathways from known pathways in a reference database. However, this method is based on manual metabolic pathway construction and cannot be used for large genome sequencing data. To address such problems, we apply a supervised machine learning approach consisting of deep neural networks to learn feature representations of metabolic pathways and feed these representations into random forests to predict metabolic pathways. The supervised learning model, DeepRF, predicts all known and unknown metabolic pathways in an organism. Evaluation of DeepRF on over 318,016 instances shows that the model can predict metabolic pathways with high-performance metrics accuracy (>97%), recall (>95%), and precision (>99%). Comparing DeepRF with other methods in the literature shows that DeepRF produces more reliable results than other methods.
Collapse
|
15
|
Orona-Návar C, García-Morales R, Loge FJ, Mahlknecht J, Aguilar-Hernández I, Ornelas-Soto N. Microplastics in Latin America and the Caribbean: A review on current status and perspectives. J Environ Manage 2022; 309:114698. [PMID: 35183939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A literature review was carried out to analyze the current status of microplastic research in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Specifically, this work focused on publications pertaining to (1) occurrence and distribution of microplastics in the environment, including water, sediments, and soil and (2) the environmental impact of MPs, particularly their presence and effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms. The review included peer-reviewed articles from Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar and two iberoamerican open access databases (Redalyc and SciELO). It was found that LAC has only contributed to 5% of the global scientific output on microplastics, and overall the highest contributor within the region was Brazil (52%), followed by Chile (16%) and Mexico (13%). An additional section analyzing the barriers to conducting microplastic research in LAC and their exacerbation by the current COVID-19 pandemic was included to provide additional context behind the relatively low scientific production and improve recommendations encouraging research in this region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Orona-Návar
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L., 64849, Mexico
| | - Raul García-Morales
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L., 64849, Mexico; Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada Km. 107, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, B.C., Mexico
| | - Frank J Loge
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jürgen Mahlknecht
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L., 64849, Mexico
| | - Iris Aguilar-Hernández
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L., 64849, Mexico.
| | - Nancy Ornelas-Soto
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L., 64849, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Garg A, Yadav BK, Das DB, Wood PJ. Improving the assessment of polluted sites using an integrated bio-physico-chemical monitoring framework. Chemosphere 2022; 290:133344. [PMID: 34922961 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Soil - water pollution resulting from anthropogenic activities is a growing concern internationally. Effective monitoring techniques play a crucial role in the detection, prevention, and remediation of polluted sites. Current pollution monitoring practices in many geographical locations are primarily based on physico-chemical assessments which do not always reflect the potential toxicity of contaminant 'cocktails' and harmful chemicals not screened for routinely. Biomonitoring provides a range of sensitive techniques to characterise the eco-toxicological effects of chemical contamination. The bioavailability of contaminants, in addition to their effects on organisms at the molecular, cellular, individual, and community level allows the characterisation of the overall health status of polluted sites and ecosystems. Quantifying bioaccumulation, changes to community structure, faunal morphology, behavioural, and biochemical responses are standard procedures employed in biomonitoring studies in many High-Income Countries (HICs). This review highlights the need to integrate biomonitoring tools alongside physico-chemical monitoring techniques by using 'effect-based' tools to provide more holistic information on the ecological impairment of soil-water systems. This paper considers the wider implementation of biomonitoring methods in Low to Middle Income Countries (LMICs) and their significance in pollution investigations and proposes an integrated monitoring framework that can identify toxicity drivers by utilising 'effect-based' and 'risk-based' monitoring approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Garg
- Department of Hydrology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Brijesh K Yadav
- Department of Hydrology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India.
| | - Diganta B Das
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK.
| | - Paul J Wood
- Geography and Environment, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Abstract
This article tracks the transformation of beagle dogs from a common breed in mid-twentieth century American laboratories to the de jure standard in global toxicological research by the turn of the twenty-first. The breed was dispersed widely due to the expanding use of dogs in pharmacology in the 1950s and a worldwide crisis around pharmaceutical safety following the thalidomide scandal of the 1960s. Nevertheless, debates continued for decades over the beagle's value as a model of carcinogenicity, even as the dogs became legislated stand-ins for human beings in multiple countries. Situating beagles as a biocommodity, the article calls for more sustained attention to the "political economy" of laboratory organism breeding, use, and production. The story of American commercial breeder Marshall Farms offers insight into the role of for-profit companies in contemporary laboratory animal provision, as the article makes a case for the value of a global perspective on transnational corporations as key sites of scientific practice and collaboration.
Collapse
|
18
|
Wang J, Zhang J, Gao Y, Xiong H, Zhang W, Yan B. The ZrO 2 NPs enhanced the risk of arsenate by promoting its accumulation and reducing its detoxification during food chain transfer from Daphnia magna to zebrafish. J Hazard Mater 2022; 424:127338. [PMID: 34879554 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic (As) can co-occur with zirconium dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) in aquatic environments, but their combined influence along the aquatic food chain is barely explored. This study constructed water flea Daphnia magna - zebrafish Danio rerio to evaluate the impact of ZrO2 NPs on the accumulation, trophic transfer, transformation, and detoxification of arsenate (As(V)). The zebrafish were fed D. magna exposed to As(V), ZrO2 NPs, or As(V) + ZrO2 NPs for 20 d. Results demonstrated that ZrO2 NPs significantly facilitated total As and As(V) sorption in D. magna and in tissues of zebrafish. ZrO2 NPs enhanced the transformation of inorganic arsenic (iAs) to monomethylated acid (MMA), while decreased synthesis of arsenobetaine (AsB) in tissues, leading to iAs increased. Co-exposed As(V) and ZrO2 NPs facilitated upregulation of absorption-related genes (aqp7) and As biotransformation-related genes (gst, gss), and detoxification and oxidative stress-related genes (mt2, cat, sod1 and sod2). Therefore, genetic expression coupling with biotransformation for the first time demonstrated that As(V) combined with ZrO2 NPs led to increased harm to D. magna and zebrafish and amplified the ecological risks of As(V) along the aquatic food chain. Attention should be paid to the combined toxicity of As(V) and ZrO2 NPs in aquatic environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Wang
- Schools of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Jichao Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yan Gao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Haiyan Xiong
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Bing Yan
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Póvoa AA, de Araújo FV, Skinner LF. Macro organisms fouled in marine anthropogenic litter (rafting) arround a tropical bay in the Southwest Atlantic. Mar Pollut Bull 2022; 175:113347. [PMID: 35202916 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The presence of floating marine anthropogenic litter in marine environments increase the possibility of transportation of fouling organisms using these substrates as a vector, mainly for those species with close affinities to artificial substrates. The objectives were to qualitatively and quantitatively report anthropogenic litter and its associated fouling groups arround Ilha Grande Bay (IGB). Litter was collected, classified and examined for the presence of fouling organisms on beaches located at two different levels of wave exposure during rainy and dry seasons. The types of litter do not differ among beaches, and the highest density and cover of fouling were reported on exposed beaches due the currents, winds, and storm waves. Bryozoans, barnacles, polychaetes, and mollusks were the most frequent fouling groups observed in litter and represents a potential vector for the dispersion of species in the IGB and adjacent coastal areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alain Alves Póvoa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Marinha e Ambientes Costeiros, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista s/n - Centro - Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24020-971, Brazil.
| | - Fábio Vieira de Araújo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Marinha e Ambientes Costeiros, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista s/n - Centro - Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24020-971, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências, Faculdade de Formação de Professores da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Francisco Portela 1470, Patronato, São Gonçalo 24435-005, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Luís Felipe Skinner
- Departamento de Ciências, Faculdade de Formação de Professores da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Francisco Portela 1470, Patronato, São Gonçalo 24435-005, RJ, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Curren E, Kuwahara VS, Yoshida T, Leong SCY. Marine microplastics in the ASEAN region: A review of the current state of knowledge. Environ Pollut 2021; 288:117776. [PMID: 34280748 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is a prevalent and serious problem in marine environments. These particles have a detrimental impact on marine ecosystems. They are harmful to marine organisms and are known to be a habitat for toxic microorganisms. Marine microplastics have been identified in beach sand, the seafloor and also in marine biota. Although research investigating the presence of microplastics in various marine environments have increased across the years, studies in Southeast Asia are still relatively limited. In this paper, 36 studies on marine microplastic pollution in Southeast Asia were reviewed and discussed, focusing on microplastics in beach and benthic sediments, seawater and marine organisms. These studies have shown that the presence of fishing harbours, aquaculture farms, and tourism result in an increased abundance of microplastics. The illegal and improper disposal of waste from village settlements and factories also contribute to the high abundance of microplastics observed. Hence, it is crucial to identify the hotspots of microplastic pollution, for assessment and mitigation purposes. Future studies should aim to standardize protocols and quantification, to allow for better quantification and assessment of the levels of microplastic contamination for monitoring purposes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Curren
- St. John Island National Marine Laboratory, Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Road, 119227, Singapore.
| | - Victor S Kuwahara
- Graduate School of Engineering, Soka University, 1-236 Tangi-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-8577, Japan
| | - Teruaki Yoshida
- Unit for Harmful Algal Bloom Studies, Borneo Marine Research Institute, University Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Sandric Chee Yew Leong
- St. John Island National Marine Laboratory, Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Road, 119227, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Ockenden A, Tremblay LA, Dikareva N, Simon KS. Towards more ecologically relevant investigations of the impacts of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems. Sci Total Environ 2021; 792:148507. [PMID: 34465042 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is a major environmental concern and the subject of a rapidly growing body of research. Much of this research has focused on the direct effects of microplastics on single species and there is limited information on how microplastics affect different functional groups of organisms, multi-species interactions, and ecosystem processes. We focused on freshwater systems and reviewed 146 studies of microplastic effects on freshwater biota and recorded features including particle characteristics, study designs, functional types of species tested and ecotoxicological endpoints measured. Study species were categorized based on their ecosystem role/functional feeding group rather than taxonomy. We found that most studies were conducted on single species (95%) and focused on a narrow range of functional groups of organisms (mostly filter feeders, 37% of studies). Very few studies have investigated multi-species interactions and ecosystem processes. In many studies, certain characteristics of microplastics, such as polymer type were not well matched with the feeding and habitat ecology of test species, potentially reducing their ecological relevance. Median laboratory study test concentrations were 5-6 orders of magnitude higher than those reported in the field and few studies considered the effects of chemical additives in plastics (6%). We recommend that studies addressing the ecological effects of microplastics need to address neglected functional groups of organisms, design experiments to better match the ecology of test species, and increase in experimental scale and complexity to identify any indirect effects on species interactions and ecosystem processes. We suggest that examining microplastics through an ecological lens that better integrates the feeding and habitat ecology of test organisms will advance our understanding of the effects microplastics have in the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Ockenden
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Science Centre, Building 302, 23 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
| | - Louis A Tremblay
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Building 110, 3A Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand; Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax Street, The Wood, Nelson 7010, New Zealand.
| | - Nadia Dikareva
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Science Centre, Building 302, 23 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
| | - Kevin S Simon
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Science Centre, Building 302, 23 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Chen J, Su Y, Lin F, Iqbal M, Mehmood K, Zhang H, Shi D. Effect of paraquat on cytotoxicity involved in oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction: A review of mechanisms and ecological implications. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2021; 224:112711. [PMID: 34455184 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Paraquat (PQ) is a cheap and an effective herbicide, which is widely being used worldwide to remove weeds in cultivated crop fields. However, it can cause soil and water pollution, and pose serious harm to the environment and organisms. Several countries have started to limit or prohibit the use of PQ because of the increasing number of human deaths. Its toxicity can damage the organisms with a multi-target mechanism, which has not been fully understood yet. That is why it is hard to treat as well. The current research on PQ focuses on its targeted organ, the lungs, in which PQ mostly trigger pulmonary fibrosis. While there is a lack of systematic research, there are few studies published discussing its toxic effects at systematic level. This review summarizes the major damages caused by PQ in different organisms and partial mechanisms by which it causes these damages. For this purpose, we consulted several research articles that studied the toxicity of PQ in various tissues. We also listed some drugs that can be used to alleviate the toxicity of PQ. However, at present, the effectiveness of these drugs is still being explored in animal experiments and the study of their mechanism will also help in understanding the poisoning mechanism of PQ, which will ultimately lead to effective treatment in future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yalin Su
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Fei Lin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mujahid Iqbal
- Department of Pathology, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (CUVAS), Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Mehmood
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Hui Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Dayou Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Montesdeoca-Esponda S, Torres-Padrón ME, Sosa-Ferrera Z, Santana-Rodríguez JJ. Fate and distribution of benzotriazole UV filters and stabilizers in environmental compartments from Gran Canaria Island (Spain): A comparison study. Sci Total Environ 2021; 756:144086. [PMID: 33280864 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Tourism is an economic sector of great importance worldwide. In coastal areas, this activity is associated with the use of personal care products, such as ultraviolet (UV) filters and stabilizers. Therefore, assessing their presence and the exposure of living organisms to the impact of this kind of pollutant in such areas could be especially important. The Canary Islands (Spain) are considered an outermost region, and their main economic activity is based on tourism, both national and international. Thus, this area could be remarkably vulnerable to this kind of pollution, and its characterization could be useful to infer conclusions for other similar regions. With this aim, the occurrence of organic UV filters and stabilizers in different environmental matrices in Gran Canaria Island is presented in this work. Six benzotriazole compounds, UV-P, UV-326, UV-327, UV-328, UV-329 and UV-360, were found in wastewater, seawater, sludge, sediment, seaweed and fish samples. The numerous studies devoted to establishing the distribution of these target compounds in many different matrices on a touristic and particularly overcrowded island such as Gran Canaria can be used to understand the pollution situation in similar locations. The works in which determination procedures using different extraction techniques were optimized and validated for the analysis of liquid and solid samples are summarized. They are critically discussed regarding their characteristics and analytical parameters. This research is of interest to environmental managers specializing in the conservation of coastal areas where tourism is an important industry since the active components of UV filters and stabilizers can bioaccumulate and biomagnify in the trophic chain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Montesdeoca-Esponda
- Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - María Esther Torres-Padrón
- Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
| | - Zoraida Sosa-Ferrera
- Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - José Juan Santana-Rodríguez
- Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Goekoop R, de Kleijn R. How higher goals are constructed and collapse under stress: A hierarchical Bayesian control systems perspective. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 123:257-285. [PMID: 33497783 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we show that organisms can be modeled as hierarchical Bayesian control systems with small world and information bottleneck (bow-tie) network structure. Such systems combine hierarchical perception with hierarchical goal setting and hierarchical action control. We argue that hierarchical Bayesian control systems produce deep hierarchies of goal states, from which it follows that organisms must have some form of 'highest goals'. For all organisms, these involve internal (self) models, external (social) models and overarching (normative) models. We show that goal hierarchies tend to decompose in a top-down manner under severe and prolonged levels of stress. This produces behavior that favors short-term and self-referential goals over long term, social and/or normative goals. The collapse of goal hierarchies is universally accompanied by an increase in entropy (disorder) in control systems that can serve as an early warning sign for tipping points (disease or death of the organism). In humans, learning goal hierarchies corresponds to personality development (maturation). The failure of goal hierarchies to mature properly corresponds to personality deficits. A top-down collapse of such hierarchies under stress is identified as a common factor in all forms of episodic mental disorders (psychopathology). The paper concludes by discussing ways of testing these hypotheses empirically.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rutger Goekoop
- Parnassia Group, PsyQ, Department of Anxiety Disorders, Early Detection and Intervention Team (EDIT), Netherlands.
| | - Roy de Kleijn
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Du H, Guo P, Wang T, Ma M, Wang D. Significant bioaccumulation and biotransformation of methyl mercury by organisms in rice paddy ecosystems: A potential health risk to humans. Environ Pollut 2021; 273:116431. [PMID: 33453697 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Rice has been confirmed as one of the principal intake pathways for methylmercury (MeHg) in human, however, the impact of edible organisms, such as snails, loaches and eels, living in the rice-based ecosystem to the overall MeHg intake has been overlooked. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional ecological study, and the results showed that bioaccumulation of MeHg in these edible organisms was significantly higher than in paddy soils and rice roots (p < 0.001), even though rice roots and grains have significantly higher total Hg (THg) (p < 0.001). The MeHg/THg ratios were consistently and significantly higher in those edible organisms than in rice grains, suggesting a potential elevated MeHg exposure risk through consumption. Based on results of bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) for MeHg, it was clear that MeHg was bioaccumulated and biotransformed from paddy soils to earthworms and then to eels, as well as from paddy soils to snails and then to eels and loaches, potentially indicating that the consumption of eels and loaches was absolutely pernicious to people regularly feeding on them. Overall, MeHg was biomagnified along the food chain of the paddy ecosystem from soil to the organisms, and it was of potential higher risks for local residents to eat them, especially eels and loaches. Therefore, it is intensely indispensable for people fond of such diets to attenuate their consumption of rice, eels and loaches, thus mitigating their MeHg exposure risks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Du
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Bio-resource for Bioenergy, Southwest University, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Pan Guo
- Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Ming Ma
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Bio-resource for Bioenergy, Southwest University, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| | - Dingyong Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Bio-resource for Bioenergy, Southwest University, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Dietrich MR, Ankeny RA, Crowe N, Green S, Leonelli S. How to choose your research organism. Stud Hist Philos Biol Biomed Sci 2020; 80:101227. [PMID: 31883711 DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsc.2019.101227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Despite August Krogh's famous admonition that a 'convenient' organism exists for every biological problem, we argue that appeals to 'convenience' are not sufficient to capture reasoning about organism choice. Instead, we offer a detailed analysis based on empirical data and philosophical arguments for a working set of twenty criteria that interact with each other in the highly contextualized judgements that biologists make about organism choice. We propose to think of these decisions as a form of 'differential analysis' where researchers weigh multiple criteria for organismal choice against each other, and often utilize multidimensional refinement processes to finalize their choices. The specific details of any one case make it difficult to draw generalizations or to abstract away from specific research situations. However, this analysis of criteria for organismal choice and how these are related in practice allows us to reflect more generally on what makes a particular organism useful or 'good.'
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Dietrich
- Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
| | - Rachel A Ankeny
- Department of History, University of Adelaide, Australia; Department of Philosophy, University of Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Nathan Crowe
- Department of History, University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA.
| | - Sara Green
- Section for History and Philosophy of Science, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Sabina Leonelli
- Department of Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology, University of Exeter, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Cottam R, Vounckx R. Representing life: A natural philosophical project. Biosystems 2020; 191-192:104127. [PMID: 32119895 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2020.104127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We address multi-levelled organization as a vital aspect of any characterization of Nature, and propose that a model-hierarchical description is fitting for a Natural Philosophical point of view. An important aspect is that the different organizational levels in a model hierarchy are partially isolated and autonomous, partially communicating across the entire scale assembly. Of particular interest are the complex interfaces between levels, and the manner in which these may be transited by a generic form of quantum error correction. An entire hierarchy decomposes into two partial hierarchies, one of the model levels, one of the complex interfaces. These are both approximately modelled, both internally and externally, as a duality of hyperscales, which ultimately integrate to give a singular metascalar identity: the duality we propose is not that of Descartes, but is a natural outcome of multi-levelled modelling. We note that a Natural Philosophical view of Nature must include a sense of meaning, related to Aristotle's fourth cause, and that this makes a clear difference from conventional Scientific practice. Life can be well represented by this hierarchical snapshot of its structure, although a more comprehensive view must invoke the characteristics of living, and not just life per se.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ron Cottam
- The Living Systems Project, Dept. of Electronics and Informatics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Roger Vounckx
- The Living Systems Project, Dept. of Electronics and Informatics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abstract
Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing industry yielding many benefits to society. However, aquatic environments are at risk as increasing amounts of nanoparticles (NPs) are contaminating waterbodies causing adverse effects on aquatic organisms. In this review, the impacts of environmental exposure to NPs, the influence of the physicochemical characteristics of NPs and the surrounding environment on toxicity and mechanisms of toxicity together with NP bioaccumulation and trophic transfer are assessed with a focus on their impacts on bacteria, algae and daphnids. We identify several gaps which need urgent attention in order to make sound decisions to protect the environment. These include uncertainty in both estimated and measured environmental concentrations of NPs for reliable risk assessment and for regulating the NP industry. In addition toxicity tests and risk assessment methodologies specific to NPs are still at the research and development stage. Also conflicting and inconsistent results on physicochemical characteristics and the fate and transport of NPs in the environment suggest the need for further research. Finally, improved understanding of the mechanisms of NP toxicity is crucial in risk assessment of NPs, since conventional toxicity tests may not reflect the risks associated with NPs. Behavioural effects may be more sensitive and would be efficient in certain situations compared with conventional toxicity tests due to low NP concentrations in field conditions. However, the development of such tests is still lacking, and further research is recommended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sam Lekamge
- Ecotoxicology Research Group, Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.
| | - Andrew S Ball
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Ravi Shukla
- Nanobiotechnology Research Laboratory, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Dayanthi Nugegoda
- Ecotoxicology Research Group, Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Wang J, Liu X, Li Y, Powell T, Wang X, Wang G, Zhang P. Microplastics as contaminants in the soil environment: A mini-review. Sci Total Environ 2019; 691:848-857. [PMID: 31326808 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 247] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have become a global environmental concern because of their ubiquitous presence. While extensive microplastic researches have focused on the marine environment, pervasive MPs contamination in soil and their detrimental impacts have been largely overlooked. Excessive concentrations of MPs and additives have been found in soil derived from the use of plastic mulches and the application of sewage sludge to fields. They may pose directly or indirectly as adverse effects on flora and fauna. The objectives of this review are (1) to summarize the abundance, sources, and properties of MPs in soil; (2) to analyze combined effects of MPs and various other environmental pollutants on soil system; and (3) to discuss the possible risks posed by MPs to soil biodiversity, food safety and human health. This review will highlight key future research areas for scientists and policymakers, and increase overall understanding of soil MPs pollution and its potential environmental impacts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, PR China
| | - Xianhua Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, PR China.
| | - Yang Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, PR China
| | - Trevor Powell
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Guangyi Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, PR China
| | - Pingping Zhang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300384, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Althuwaini S, Bamehriz F, Alobaid O, Barry M, Somily A, Aldohayan A. Identification of Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens in Patients with Post-Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Leakage. Obes Surg 2019; 28:3965-3968. [PMID: 30091102 DOI: 10.1007/s11695-018-3442-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) leak leads to serious complications, and death may occur. The microbial pattern should be established in order to plan empirical antimicrobial therapy. The intra-abdominal leaks post-LSG were cultured and reviewed. METHODS Microbial cultures collected from all post-sleeve leakage cases managed at the King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) from May 2011 until April 2016 were reviewed. RESULTS A total of 31 patients with positive leak post-LSG were included. The mean presentation time was postoperative day 12. Computed tomography (CT) was done for all patients on presentation with CT-guided aspiration and drainage next day. Samples from the collection were aspirated first for culture then a pigtail drain was kept in place. The average time of drain removal was on the 75th postoperative day. A total of 28 patients (90.3%) had positive culture results. Candida species were the most common organism isolated from 19 patients (61.2%), among them, 10 (32.2%) were positive for Candida species only. Positive bacterial cultures were found in 18 patients (58%). Majority of which single bacterial pathogen isolate, only seven patients had two organisms, and four patients had three organisms. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequent isolated bacteria [8 patients (44.4%)] followed by Streptococcus and Pseudomonas species. Candida albicans was the most common Candida species isolated, 13 patients (68.4%). CONCLUSION Fungal microbes isolated from post-LSG leak collection are common and could be considered in the primary empirical therapy. The antibiotic choice for the leak should cover Klebsiella, Streptococcus, and Pseudomonas until definitive culture results are obtained.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saad Althuwaini
- Surgery Department, Upper GI Surgery, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Fahad Bamehriz
- Surgery Department, Upper GI Surgery, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Omar Alobaid
- Surgery Department, Upper GI Surgery, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mazin Barry
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Somily
- Department of Pathology/Microbiology, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Aldohayan
- Surgery Department, Upper GI Surgery, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Shen M, Zhang Y, Zhu Y, Song B, Zeng G, Hu D, Wen X, Ren X. Recent advances in toxicological research of nanoplastics in the environment: A review. Environ Pollut 2019; 252:511-521. [PMID: 31167159 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 292] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Nanoplastics have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their widespread existence in the environment and the potential adverse effects on living organisms. In this paper, the toxic effects of nanoplastics on organisms were systematically reviewed. The translocation and absorption of nanoplastics, as well as the release of additives and contaminants adsorbed on nanoplastics in the organism body were discussed, and the potential adverse effects of nanoplastics on human health were evaluated. Nanoplastics can be ingested by organisms, be accumulated in their body and be transferred along the food chains. Nanoplastics showed effects on the growth, development and reproduction of organisms, and disturbing the normal metabolism. The toxic effects on living organisms mainly depended on the surface chemical properties and the particle size of nanoplastics. Positively charged nanoplastics showed more significant effects on the normal physiological activity of cells than negatively charged nanoplastics, and smaller particle sized nanoplastics could more easily penetrate the cell membranes, hence, accumulated in tissues and cells. Additionally, the release of additives and contaminants adsorbed on nanoplastics in organism body poses more significant threats to organisms than nanoplastics themselves. However, there are still knowledge gaps in the determination and quantification of nanoplastics, as well as their contaminant release mechanisms, degradation rates and process from large plastics to nanoplastics, and the transportation of nanoplastics along food chains. These challenges would hinder the risk assessment of nanoplastics in the environment. It is necessary to further develop the risk assessment of nanoplastics and deeply investigate its toxicological effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maocai Shen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Yaxin Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Yuan Zhu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Biao Song
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Guangming Zeng
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China.
| | - Duofei Hu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Xiaofeng Wen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Xiaoya Ren
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Farrington CA, Allon M. Complications of Hemodialysis Catheter Bloodstream Infections: Impact of Infecting Organism. Am J Nephrol 2019; 50:126-132. [PMID: 31242483 DOI: 10.1159/000501357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Catheter-related bloodstream infections -(CRBSI) are associated with a high burden of morbidity and mortality, but the impact of infecting organism on clinical outcomes has been poorly studied. METHODS This retrospective analysis of a prospective vascular access database from a large academic dialysis center investigated whether the organism type affected the clinical presentation or complications of CRBSI. RESULTS Among 339 patients with suspected CRBSI, an alternate source of infection was identified in 50 (15%). Of 289 patients with CRBSI, 249 grew a single organism and 40 were polymicrobial. Fever and/or rigors were presenting signs in ≥90% of patients with Staphylococcus aureus or Gram-negative CRBSI, but only 61% of Staphylococcus epidermidis infections (p < 0.001). Hospitalization occurred in 67% of patients with S. aureus CRBSI versus 34% of those with S. epidermidis and 40% of those with a Gram-negative bacteria (p < 0.001). Admission to the intensive care unit was required in 14, 9, and 2% (p = 0.06); metastatic infection occurred in 10, 4, and 4% (p = 0.42); and median length of stay among patients admitted to the hospital was 4, 4, and 5.5 days (p = 0.60), respectively. Death due to CRBSI occurred in only 1% of patients with CRBSI. CONCLUSION CRBSI is confirmed in 85% of catheter-dependent hemodialysis patients in whom it is suspected. S. epidermidis CRBSI tends to present with atypical symptoms. S. aureus CRBSI is more likely to require hospitalization or intensive care admission. Metastatic infection is relatively uncommon, and death due to CRBSI is rare.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Crystal A Farrington
- Division of Nephrology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA,
| | - Michael Allon
- Division of Nephrology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Yazici A, Ortucu S, Taskin M, Marinelli L. Natural-based Antibiofilm and Antimicrobial Peptides from Micro organisms. Curr Top Med Chem 2019; 18:2102-2107. [PMID: 30417789 DOI: 10.2174/1568026618666181112143351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
As the resistance to antimicrobial molecules increases among bacteria, the need for new antimicrobial molecules increases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP), which may be a new generation of antibiotic candidates, are important in this respect. AMPs are small, cationic and amphipathic peptide sequences. In eukaryotes, they are synthesized as a part of the immune system. Substantially, AMPs are discovered in all kingdoms of life such as bacteria, fungi and protozoa. Approximately 3,000 AMPs have been reported in the literature. However, most of these AMPs have been synthesized through chemical synthesis. Nature has a huge source of microorganisms, and in the literature, there is a tendency to increase every year the number of bacteria and fungus-derived AMPs thanks to their biotechnological importance. The exploration of AMP and antibiofilm peptide (ABP) producer microorganisms brings with it a lot of challenges experimentally. In this review study, we want to highlight the importance and challenge of these natural peptides derived from microorganisms. We will also propose a new explanation for ABPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aysenur Yazici
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science Faculty, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Serkan Ortucu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science Faculty, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Mesut Taskin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science Faculty, Ataturk University, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Lisa Marinelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti Scalo (CH), Italy
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Freixa A, Acuña V, Sanchís J, Farré M, Barceló D, Sabater S. Ecotoxicological effects of carbon based nanomaterials in aquatic organisms. Sci Total Environ 2018; 619-620:328-337. [PMID: 29154051 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
An increasing amount of carbon-based nanomaterials (CNM) (mostly fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphene) has been observed in aquatic systems over the last years. However, the potential toxicity of these CNM on aquatic ecosystems remains unclear. This paper reviews the existing literature on the toxic effects of CNM in aquatic organisms as well as the toxic effects of CNM through influencing the toxicity of other micro-pollutants, and outlines a series of research needs to reduce the uncertainty associated with CNMs toxic effects. The results show that environmental concentrations of CNM do not pose a threat on aquatic organisms on their own. The observed concentrations of CNM in aquatic environments are in the order of ngL-1 or even lower, much below than the lowest observed effect concentrations (LOEC) on different aquatic organisms (in the order of mgL-1). Toxic effects have been mainly observed in short-term experiments at high concentrations, and toxicity principally depends on the type of organisms, exposition time and CNM preparation methods. Moreover, we observed that CNM interact (establishing synergistic and/or antagonistic effects) with other micro-pollutants. Apparently, the resulting interaction is highly dependent on the chemical properties of each micro-pollutant, CNM acting either as carriers or as sorbents, thereby modifying the original toxicity of the contaminants. Results stress the need of studying the interactive effects of CNM with other micro-pollutants at environmental relevant concentrations, as well as their effects on biological communities in the long-term.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Freixa
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), C/ Emili Grahit 101, 17003.Girona, Spain.
| | - Vicenç Acuña
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), C/ Emili Grahit 101, 17003.Girona, Spain
| | - Josep Sanchís
- Water and Soil Quality Research Group, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), C/ Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marinella Farré
- Water and Soil Quality Research Group, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), C/ Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Damià Barceló
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), C/ Emili Grahit 101, 17003.Girona, Spain; Water and Soil Quality Research Group, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), C/ Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergi Sabater
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), C/ Emili Grahit 101, 17003.Girona, Spain; GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Campus Montilivi, 17130. University of Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Sharma VK, McDonald TJ, Sohn M, Anquandah GAK, Pettine M, Zboril R. Assessment of toxicity of selenium and cadmium selenium quantum dots: A review. Chemosphere 2017; 188:403-413. [PMID: 28892773 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.08.130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the current understanding of the toxicity of selenium (Se) to terrestrial mammalian and aquatic organisms. Adverse biological effects occur in the case of Se deficiencies, associated with this element having essential biological functions and a narrow window between essentiality and toxicity. Several inorganic species of Se (-2, 0, +4, and +6) and organic species (monomethylated and dimethylated) have been reported in aquatic systems. The toxicity of Se in any given sample depends not only on its speciation and concentration, but also on the concomitant presence of other compounds that may have synergistic or antagonistic effects, affecting the target organism as well, usually spanning 2 or 3 orders of magnitude for inorganic Se species. In aquatic ecosystems, indirect toxic effects, linked to the trophic transfer of excess Se, are usually of much more concern than direct Se toxicity. Studies on the toxicity of selenium nanoparticles indicate the greater toxicity of chemically generated selenium nanoparticles relative to selenium oxyanions for fish and fish embryos while oxyanions of selenium have been found to be more highly toxic to rats as compared to nano-Se. Studies on polymer coated Cd/Se quantum dots suggest significant differences in toxicity of weathered vs. non-weathered QD's as well as a significant role for cadmium with respect to toxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Virender K Sharma
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc, 771 46, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
| | - Thomas J McDonald
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Mary Sohn
- Department of Chemistry, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University, Boulevard, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - George A K Anquandah
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, St Mary's University, 1 Camino Santa Maria, San Antonio, TX, 78228, USA
| | - Maurizio Pettine
- Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque (IRSA)/Water Research Institute (IRSA), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)/National Research Council, Via Salaria km 29,300 C.P. 10, 00015, Monterotondo, RM, Italy
| | - Radek Zboril
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc, 771 46, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Abstract
Defenders of human, embryonic, destructive stem-cell research and early abortion typically argue for their position by showing that you and I do not come into existence at conception but rather at some point after. Eugene Mills has provided an ingenious argument that you and I could not have come into existence at conception. I argue against Mills's argument on two counts: first, his argument depends upon a cursory limning of human conception, and when fuller details are considered, a premise in his argument is undercut. Second, Mills's argument invites us to ask questions about how to identify individual organisms. Given a fuller description of human conception and some plausible metaphysical principles, I argue that Mills should hold instead that you and I do in fact come into being at conception. SUMMARY One way to argue that early abortions are permissible is to argue against the view that you and I come into existence at conception. Most abortion rights defenders argue for this conclusion by noting that in order for you and I to exist, there must be developed psychological capacities. Eugene Mills takes a different route and argues that you and I could not come into existence at conception because that would mean being identical to an egg - which he rightly notes we cannot be. I argue against Mills in this article.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Napier
- Philosophy Department, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Dang F, Zhao J, Zhou D. Uptake dynamics of inorganic mercury and methylmercury by the earthworm Pheretima guillemi. Chemosphere 2016; 144:2121-2126. [PMID: 26583294 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.10.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Mercury uptake dynamics in the earthworm Pheretima guillemi, including the dissolved uptake rate constant (ku) from pore-water and assimilation efficiencies (AEs) from mercury-contaminated soil, was quantified in this study. Dissolved uptake rate constants were 0.087 and 0.553 L g(-1) d(-1) for inorganic mercury (IHg) and methylmercury (MeHg), respectively. Assimilation efficiency of IHg in field-contaminated soil was 7.2%, lower than 15.4% of spiked soil. In contrast, MeHg exhibited comparable AEs for both field-contaminated and spiked soil (82.4-87.2%). Within the framework of biodynamic model, we further modelled the exposure pathways (dissolved exposure vs soil ingestion) to source the accumulated mercury in Pheretima guillemi. The model showed that the relative importance of soil ingestion to mercury bioaccumulation depended largely on mercury partitioning coefficients (K(d)), and was also influenced by soil ingestion rate of earthworms. In the examined field-contaminated soil, almost (>99%) accumulated IHg and MeHg was predicted to derive from soil ingestion. Therefore, soil ingestion should be carefully considered when assessing mercury exposure risk to earthworms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Dang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
| | - Dongmei Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Adeleye AO, Jin H, Di Y, Li D, Chen J, Ye Y. Distribution and ecological risk of organic pollutants in the sediments and seafood of Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay, East China Sea. Sci Total Environ 2016; 541:1540-1548. [PMID: 26479920 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.09.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A wide variety of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the surface marine sediments and seafood from four geographic areas of the East China Sea were investigated. The POP concentrations were analyzed and their possible ecotoxicological risks assessed. The total concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the sediments were found to be ND-22.40, ND-5.10, 32.10-171.70, and 0.60-63.00 ng/g dry weight (dw), respectively. Low-chlorinated biphenyl congeners and HCHs were predominantly found at the Hangzhou Bay and Yangtze River areas. The sediment ecotoxicological risk was assessed, indicating the toxic effect of PCBs and DDTs on benthic organisms. In marine organisms of economic importance, the concentration of total PAHs, PCBs, and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) ranged from 43.20 to 291.20, 2.60 to 96.20, and 12.70 to 235.20 μg/kg dw, respectively. The bioaccumulation in marine organisms did not pose a significant health risk to consumers. As indicated by the POP residues in both marine sediments and organisms, POPs were persistent over time, posing a long-term risk to the local ecosystem and human health via the food chain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adedayo O Adeleye
- Department of Marine Sciences, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, The Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Hangzhou 310032, China; Physical/Chemical Oceanography Department, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, P.M.B. 12729 Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Haiyan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, The Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Hangzhou 310032, China
| | - Yanan Di
- Department of Marine Sciences, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Donghao Li
- Analysis and Inspection Center, Yanbian University, Park Road 977, Yanji City, Jilin Province 133002, China
| | - Jianfang Chen
- Department of Marine Sciences, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, The Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Hangzhou 310032, China
| | - Ying Ye
- Department of Marine Sciences, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Sharma VK, Siskova KM, Zboril R, Gardea-Torresdey JL. Organic-coated silver nanoparticles in biological and environmental conditions: fate, stability and toxicity. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2014; 204:15-34. [PMID: 24406050 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2013.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 211] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2013] [Revised: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 12/04/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This review paper presents the overview of processes involved in transformation of organic-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in biological systems and in the aquatic environment. The coating on AgNPs greatly influences the fate, stability, and toxicity of AgNPs in aqueous solutions, biological systems, and the environment. Several organic-coated AgNP systems are discussed to understand their stability and toxicity in biological media and natural water. Examples are presented to demonstrate how a transformation of organic-coated AgNPs in an aqueous solution is affected by the type of coating, pH, kind of electrolyte (mono- or divalent), ionic strength, organic ligands (inorganic and organic), organic matter (fulvic and humic acids), redox conditions (oxic and anoxic), and light. Results of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and ecotoxicity of coated AgNPs to food chain members (plants, bacteria, and aquatic and terrestrial organisms) are reviewed. Key factors contributing to toxicity are the size, shape, surface coating, surface charge, and conditions of silver ion release. AgNPs may directly damage the cell membranes, disrupt ATP production and DNA replication, alternate gene expressions, release toxic Ag(+) ion, and produce reactive oxygen species to oxidize biological components of the cell. A progress made on understanding the mechanism of organic-coated AgNP toxicity using different analytical techniques is presented.
Collapse
|
40
|
Tachibana T, Moriyama T, Maruo K, Inoue S, Yoshiya S. Therapeutic impact of organism isolation in management of patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. Springerplus 2014; 3:62. [PMID: 24516789 PMCID: PMC3918094 DOI: 10.1186/2193-1801-3-62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2013] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
In management of patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis, organism isolation by biopsy is generally considered to be of primary importance when constructing a treatment plan. In our clinical practice, however, patients can be successfully treated even without identifying the organisms. The objective of this study is to review our clinical experiences and clarify the therapeutic impact of organism isolation. Forty patients who were conservatively managed in our institution constituted the base of this study. The average follow-up period was 16.7 months. Among the study subjects, 13 patients underwent percutaneous needle biopsy and the organism was identified in 6 patients. Additionally, the organism was isolated from the sample obtained from blood and possible foci in 10 patients. In total, the causative organism was identified in 15 of the 40 patients (37.5%). Patients were divided into two groups based on whether the organism was identified by culture (Groups A and B, with and without organism isolation respectively). The duration of antibiotic therapy was not significantly different between the groups (Group A: 4.8 ± 1.6 months, Group B: 4.3 ± 2.1 months), while subsequent mortalities in Group A and B were 13.3% and 8% without significant intergroup difference. Organism isolation did not productively help select the effective antibiotics and reduce the treatment period or mortality rate in treatment of patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. Therefore, current strategic antibiotic therapy may be effective in eradicating infection even without identification of the causative organism in treatment of patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Toshiya Tachibana
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501 Japan
| | - Tokuhide Moriyama
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501 Japan
| | - Keishi Maruo
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501 Japan
| | - Shinichi Inoue
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501 Japan
| | - Shinichi Yoshiya
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501 Japan
| |
Collapse
|