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We repaired a left anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery using coronary ostium translocation/reimplantation. Repeat repair was required due to suboptimal flow pattern in postoperative transesophageal echocardiography, which was confirmed with coronary angiography. We emphasize the importance of early recognition, diagnosis, and intervention to deal with a problem with the coronary repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiogenesis is critical for successful bone repair, and interestingly, miR-210 and miR-16 possess counter-active targets involved in both angiogenesis and osteogenesis: miR-210 acts as an activator by silencing EFNA3 & AcvR1b, while miR-16 inhibits both pathways by silencing VEGF & Smad5. It was thus hypothesized that dual delivery of both a miR-210 mimic and a miR-16 inhibitor from a collagen-nanohydroxyapatite scaffold system may hold significant potential for bone repair. Therefore, this systems potential to rapidly accelerate bone repair by directing enhanced angiogenic-osteogenic coupling in host cells in a rat calvarial defect model at a very early 4 week timepoint was assessed. In vitro , the treatment significantly enhanced angiogenic-osteogenic coupling of human mesenchymal stem cells, with enhanced calcium deposition after just 10 days in 2D and 14 days on scaffolds. In vivo , these dual-miRNA loaded scaffolds showed more than double bone volume and vessel recruitment increased 2.3 fold over the miRNA-free scaffolds. Overall, this study demonstrates the successful development of a dual-miRNA mimic/inhibitor scaffold for enhanced in vivo bone repair for the first time, and the possibility of extending this 'off-the-shelf' platform system to applications beyond bone offers immense potential to impact a myriad of other tissue engineering areas. miRNAs have potential as a new class of bone healing therapeutics as they can enhance the regenerative capacity of bone-forming cells. However, angiogenic-osteogenic coupling is critical for successful bone repair. Therefore, this study harnesses the delivery of miR-210, known to be an activator of both angiogenesis and osteogenesis, and miR-16 inhibitor, as miR-16 is known to inhibit both pathways, from a collagen-nanohydroxyapatite scaffold system to rapidly enhance osteogenesis in vitro and bone repair in vivo in a rat calvarial defect model. Overall, it describes the successful development of the first dual-miRNA mimic/inhibitor scaffold for enhanced in vivo bone repair. This 'off-the-shelf' platform system offers immense potential to extend beyond bone applications and impact a myriad of other tissue engineering areas. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SVM's do a good job at classifying the difference between snow and pavement. • ROS and Pixhawk controllers together make a good inexpensive vehicle controller. • Artificial Intelligence algorithms can be trained from simple vehicle models. The US Army must update its vehicle fleet to be better equipped for potential future military conflicts in northern climates (US Army, 2017). This process involves considering manned, optionally manned, and unmanned vehicles as viable options in the future. Optionally manned and unmanned vehicles in the armed forces have substantial benefits because they can operate without direct driver input or are able to perform missions deemed too dangerous for troops. Optionally manned vehicles allow the driver to shift some, or all, focus away from the task of driving the vehicle. In some cases, these autonomous vehicles may perform better than a human driver by rapidly sensing and reacting to terrain changes. Onboard sensing and decision making are equally applicable to both fully autonomous and teleoperated vehicles. This work will focus on the terrain sensing, waypoint navigation, and teleoperation potential of an optionally manned or unmanned vehicle. Results from a vehicle demonstration on two different terrain conditions will provide the basis for additional terrain sensing and autonomous vehicle development work in the coming year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

microRNAs offer vast therapeutic potential for multiple disciplines. From a bone perspective, inhibition of miR-133a may offer potential to enhance Runx2 activity and increase bone repair. This study aims to assess the therapeutic capability of antagomiR-133a delivery from collagen-nanohydroxyapatite (coll-nHA) scaffolds following cell-free implantation in rat calvarial defects (7 mm diameter). This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of successful in vivo antagomiR uptake in host cells of fully immunocompetent animals without distribution to other off-target tissues. Our results demonstrate the localized release of antagomiR-133a to the implant site at 1 week post-implantation with increased calcium deposits already evident in the antagomiR-133a loaded scaffolds at this early timepoint. This was followed by an approximate 2-fold increase in bone volume versus antagomiR-free scaffolds and a significant 10-fold increase over the empty defect controls, after just 4 weeks. An increase in host CD206+ cells suggests an accelerated pro-remodeling response by M2-like macrophages accompanying bone repair with this treatment. Overall, this non-viral scaffold-mediated antagomiR-133a delivery platform demonstrates capability to accelerate bone repair in vivo – without the addition of exogenous cells – and underlines the role of M2 macrophage-like cells in directing accelerated bone repair. Expanding the repertoire of this platform to deliver alternative miRNAs offers exciting possibilities for a variety of therapeutic indications. microRNAs, small non-coding RNA molecules involved in gene regulation, may have potential as a new class of bone healing therapeutics as they can enhance the regenerative capacity of bone-forming cells. We developed a collagen-nanohydroxyapatite-microRNA scaffold system to investigate whether miR133a inhibition can enhance osteogenesis in rat MSCs and ultimately accelerate endogenous bone repair by host cells in vivo without pre-seeding cells prior to implantation. Overall, this off-the-shelf, non-viral scaffold-mediated antagomiR-133a delivery platform demonstrates capability to accelerate bone repair in vivo – without the requirement of exogenous cells – and highlights the role of CD206+M2 macrophage-like cells in guiding accelerated bone repair. Translating the repertoire of this platform to deliver alternative miRNAs offers exciting possibilities for a vast myriad of therapeutic indications. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although evidence suggests the ubiquity of microplastics in the marine environment, our knowledge of its occurrence within remote habitats, such as the deep sea, is scarce. Furthermore, long term investigations of microplastic abundances are even more limited. Here we present a long-term study of the ingestion of microplastics by two deep-sea benthic invertebrates (Ophiomusium lymani and Hymenaster pellucidus) sampled over four decades. Specimens were collected between the years 1976–2015 from a repeat monitoring site >2000 m deep in the Rockall Trough, North East Atlantic. Microplastics were identified at a relatively consistent level throughout and therefore may have been present at this locality prior to 1976. Considering the mass production of plastics began in the 1940s - 50s our data suggest the relatively rapid occurrence of microplastics within the deep sea. Of the individuals examined (n = 153), 45% had ingested microplastics, of which fibres were most prevalent (95%). A total of eight different polymer types were isolated; polyamide and polyester were found in the highest concentrations and in the majority of years, while low-density polystyrene was only identified in 2015. This study provides an assessment of the historic occurrence of microplastics on the deep seafloor and presents a detailed quantification and characterisation of microplastics ingested by benthic species. Furthermore these data advance our knowledge on the long-term fate of microplastic in marine systems. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • First long-term study of microplastic pollution in the deep sea. • Ingested microplastic abundance remained relatively consistent 1976–2015. • Data indicate microplastics may have been present at this location prior to 1976. • No trends were observed in polymer type or overall abundance across years. • Eight polymers were identified of which polyamide and polyester dominated. This unique dataset reveals consistent levels of microplastics were ingested by deep-sea invertebrates since 1976, indicating the long-term occurrence of microplastic pollution in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the limitations and possibilities of the service quality model for academic libraries. Background information on the model; Account of several publications on the subject matter; Rationale for service quality; Relationship of service quality and academic library environment; Semantics of service quality; Description of the competing models of service; Conclusions.

Microplastic pollution has been a growing concern in the aquatic environment for several years. The abundance of microplastics in the environment has invariably led them to interact with a variety of different aquatic species. The small size of microplastics may make them bioavailable to a great range of species however, the impact this may have is not fully understood. Much of the research on microplastic pollution has focused on the marine environment and species with little research undertaken in freshwater. Here we examine the effect of microplastics on the freshwater cnidarian, Hydra attenuata . This study also describes the development and use of a bioassay to investigate the impact of microplastic on freshwater organisms. Hydra attenuata play a vital role in the planktonic make up of slow moving freshwater bodies which they inhabit and are sensitive environmental indicators. Hydra attenuata were exposed to polyethylene flakes (<400 ìm) extracted from facewash at different concentrations (Control, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08 g mL −1 ). The ecologically relevant endpoint of feeding was measured by determining the amount of prey consumed ( Artemia salina ) after 30 and 60 min. The amount of microplastics ingested was also recorded at 30 min and 60 min. After which Hydra attenuata were transferred to clean media and observed after 3, 24, 48 & 96 h with changes in their morphology and reproduction (Hydranth numbers) recorded. The results of this study show that Hydra attenuata are capable of ingesting microplastics, with several individuals completely filling their gastric cavities. Significant reductions in feeding rates were observed after 30 min in 0.02 & 0.08 g mL −1 and after 60 min in 0.04 & 0.08 g mL −1 exposures. Exposure to the microplastics caused significant changes to the morphology of Hydra attenuata , however these changes were non-lethal. This study demonstrates that freshwater Hydra attenuata is capable of ingesting microplastics and that microplastic can significantly impact the feeding of freshwater organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Estimate organ and effective doses from computed tomography scans of pediatric oncologic patients using patient-specific information. Materials and Methods With IRB approval patient-specific scan parameters and patient size obtained from DICOM images and vendor-provided dose monitoring application were obtained for a cross-sectional study of 1250 pediatric patients from 0 through 20 y-olds who underwent head, chest, abdomen-pelvis, or chest-abdomen-pelvis CT scans. Patients were categorized by age. Organ doses and effective doses were estimated using VirtualDose™ CT based on patient-specific information, tube current modulation (TCM), and age-specific realistic phantoms. CTDIvol, DLP, and dose results were compared with those reported in the literature. Results CTDIvol and DLP varied widely as patient size varied. The 75th percentiles of CTDIvol and DLP were no greater than in the literature with the exception of head scans of 16–20 y-olds and of abdomen-pelvis scans of larger patients. Eye lens dose from a head scan was up to 69 mGy. Mean organ doses agreed with other studies at maximal difference of 38% for chest and 41% for abdomen-pelvis scans. Mean effective dose was generally higher for older patients. The highest effective doses were estimated for the 16–20 y-olds as: head 3.3 mSv, chest 4.1 mSv, abdomen-pelvis 10.0 mSv, chest-abdomen-pelvis 14.0 mSv. Conclusion Patient-specific organ and effective doses have been estimated for pediatric oncologic patients from <1 through 20 y-olds. The effect of TCM was successfully accounted for in the estimates. Output parameters varied with patient size. CTDIvol and DLP results are useful for future protocol optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential for metals to bioaccumulate in aquatic species, such as fish, via trophic level transfer was investigated. An in vivo experiment was set up in a flow-through system in which juvenile rainbow trout were fed blue mussels collected from a Class A pristine site and an effluent-impacted river estuary, over a period of 28 days. Selected elements (As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, Sn, V, Zn) were determined in the mussels and fish tissues (muscle and skin) collected at 0, 14 and 28 days. This study reveals the occurrence of metals in mussels sampled in the Irish marine environment and highlights the bioaccumulation potential of metals in fish tissues via trophic transfer. All 14 monitored metals were determined in the mussels collected from both sites and mussels collected from the effluent-impacted site contained three times more Co, Mo, Sn and V than the mussels collected from the Class A site. Following a 28-day dietary exposure, concentrations of As and Se (fish muscle), and Pb, Se and Zn (fish skin), were significantly greater in fish feeding on contaminated mussels compared to those with a regular fish feed diet. The significance of metal detection and bioaccumulation in the mussel and fish tissues, highlights the potential for metal exposure to humans through the food chain. As fish are recommended as a healthy and nutritious food source, it is important to fully understand metal bioaccumulation in commercially important aquatic species and ensure the safety of human consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics are widespread in the natural environment and present numerous ecological threats. While the ultimate fate of marine microplastics are not well known, it is hypothesized that the deep sea is the final sink for this anthropogenic contaminant. This study provides a quantification and characterisation of microplastic pollution ingested by benthic macroinvertebrates with different feeding modes ( Ophiomusium lymani , Hymenaster pellucidus and Colus jeffreysianus ) and in adjacent deep water > 2200 m, in the Rockall Trough, Northeast Atlantic Ocean. Despite the remote location, microplastic fibres were identified in deep-sea water at a concentration of 70.8 particles m −3 , comparable to that in surface waters. Of the invertebrates examined (n = 66), 48% ingested microplastics with quantities enumerated comparable to coastal species. The number of ingested microplastics differed significantly between species and generalized linear modelling identified that the number of microplastics ingested for a given tissue mass was related to species and not organism feeding mode or the length or overall weight of the individual. Deep-sea microplastics were visually highly degraded with surface areas more than double that of pristine particles. The identification of synthetic polymers with densities greater and less than seawater along with comparable quantities to the upper ocean indicates processes of vertical re-distribution. This study presents the first snapshot of deep ocean microplastics and the quantification of microplastic pollution in the Rockall Trough. Additional sampling throughout the deep-sea is required to assess levels of microplastic pollution, vertical transportation and sequestration, which have the potential to impact the largest global ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports plastic ingestion in various fish found from coastal and offshore sites in Scottish marine waters. Coastal samples consisted of three demersal flatfish species ( n = 128) collected from the East and West coasts of Scotland. Offshore samples consisted of 5 pelagic species and 4 demersal species ( n = 84) collected from the Northeast Atlantic. From the coastal fish sampled, 47.7% of the gastrointestinal tracts contained macroplastic and microplastic. Of the 84 pelagic and demersal offshore fish, only 2 (2.4%) individuals from different species had ingested plastic identified as a clear polystyrene fibre and a black polyamide fibre. The average number of plastic items found per fish from all locations that had ingested plastic was 1.8 (± 1.7) with polyamide (65.3%), polyethylene terephthalate (14.4%) and acrylic (14.4%) being the three most commonly found plastics. This study adds to the existing data on macroplastic and microplastic ingestion in fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First elementomic determination of the country of origin of rice amongst China, India, and Vietnam based on ICP-MS elemental profiles. • Using K-nearest neighbours to improve the accuracy of the ICP-MS elementomic models. • Method developed to combat fraud in rice where flavour compounds are added to enhance the smell. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the food industry and consumers, with production gaps, shipping delays, and changes in supply and demand leading to an increased risk of food fraud. Rice has a high probability for adulteration by food fraudsters, being a staple commodity for more than half the global population, making the assessment of geographical origins of rice for authenticity important in terms of protecting businesses and consumers. In this study, we describe ICP-MS elemental profiling coupled with elementomic modelling to identify the geographical indications of Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese rice. A PLS-DA model exhibited good discrimination (R2 = 0.8393, Q2 = 0.7673, accuracy = 1.0). Data-driven soft independent modelling of class analogy (dd -SIMCA) and K-nearest neighbours (K-NN) models have good sensitivity (98%) and specificity (100%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Assessment of reference conditions using a range of biomarker responses. [•] Significant variability in the biochemical response between the seasons. [•] Study highlights the diversity of environmental stress factors for mussels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Pharmaceuticals, including the lipid regulator gemfibrozil and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac have been identified in waste water treatment plant effluents and receiving waters throughout the western world. The acute and chronic toxicity of these compounds was assessed for three freshwater species (Daphnia magna, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Lemna minor) using standardised toxicity tests with toxicity found in the non-environmentally relevant mid mgL−1 concentration range. For the acute endpoints (IC50 and EC50) gemfibrozil showed higher toxicity ranging from 29 to 59mgL−1 (diclofenac 47–67mgL−1), while diclofenac was more toxic for the chronic D. magna 21d endpoints ranging from 10 to 56mgL−1 (gemfibrozil 32–100mgL−1). These results were compared with the expression of several biomarkers in the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) 24 and 96h after exposure by injection to concentrations of 21 and 21,000μgL−1 corresponding to nominal concentrations of 1 and 1000μgL−1. Exposure to gemfibrozil and diclofenac at both concentrations significantly increased the level of lipid peroxidation, a biomarker of damage. At the elevated nominal concentration of 1000μgL−1 the biomarkers of defence glutathione transferase and metallothionein were significantly elevated for gemfibrozil and diclofenac respectively, as was DNA damage after 96h exposure to gemfibrozil. No evidence of endocrine disruption was observed using the alkali-labile phosphate technique. Results from this suite of biomarkers indicate these compounds can cause significant stress at environmentally relevant concentrations acting primarily through oxidation pathways with significant destabilization of the lysosomal membrane and that biomarker expression is a more sensitive endpoint than standardised toxicity tests. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Human pharmaceuticals, like the lipid lowering agent gemfibrozil and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac are causing environmental concern. In this study, the marine mussel (Mytilus spp.) was exposed by injection to environmentally relevant and elevated (1μg/L and 1000μg/L) concentrations of both compounds and biomarker expression was observed. Gemfibrozil exposure induced biomarkers of stress (glutathione S-transferase and metallothionein) at both concentrations 24h and 96h after exposure, respectively. Biomarkers of damage (lipid peroxidation (LPO) and DNA damage) were significantly affected, as well as the biomarker for reproduction, alkali-labile phosphate assay, indicating the potential oxidative stress and endocrine disrupting effect of gemfibrozil. Diclofenac significantly induced LPO after 96h indicating tissue damage. Additionally standard toxicity tests using the marine species Vibrio fischeri, Skeletonema costatum and Tisbe battagliai showed differences in sensitivity to both drugs in the mg/L range. Results indicate a suite of tests should be used to give accurate information for regulation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compounds are considered the new environmental pollutants but at present few studies have evaluated their ecotoxicity on aquatic invertebrates. This study was aimed to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity of four common drugs, namely atenolol (ATL), carbamazepine (CBZ), diclofenac (DCF) and gemfibrozil (GEM), on three different cell typologies from the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha): haemocytes, gill and digestive gland cells. Results obtained by the Trypan blue exclusion test revealed that exposure to increasing concentrations (0.001; 0.01; 0.1; 1 and 10mgL−1) of CBZ, DCF and GEM were able to significantly decrease the viability of each cell type, while the MTT (3(4,5-dimethyl-2thiazholyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide) reduction assay highlighted only a slight reduction of mitochondrial activity of gill and digestive gland cells. Overall, DCF was the most cytotoxic drug for zebra mussel cells, followed by GEM, CBZ, while ATL has not a noteworthy toxic potential. Our preliminary results lay the groundwork for further in vitro evaluations, which will allow a better definition of the potential toxicity of these drugs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pharmaceuticals have recently emerged as novel pollutants of potential concern in the aquatic environment where they are commonly introduced as complex mixtures via municipal effluent. In the present experiment, the freshwater cnidarian Hydra attenuata was exposed to a mixture of 11 pharmaceuticals (ibuprofen, naproxen, gemfibrozil, bezafibrate, carbamazepine, sulfapyridine, oxytetracycline, novobiocin, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole and caffeine) up to 10000 times (×) the concentration found in municipal effluent. Hydra regeneration and teratogenicity was measured, having an IC50 of 781× and was found to be non teratogenic with an A/D value of ∼1. Toxicity was investigated using both lethal (based on morphology) and sub-lethal (based on morphology, feeding behaviour, hydranth number and attachment) endpoints. The pharmaceutical mixture incurred a significant decrease in morphology at 0.1, 10 and 100× but a significant increase at 1000×. All parameters were significantly reduced at 10000×. An EC50 of 425× and 65× based on morphology and feeding respectively and a toxicity threshold (TT) of 3.2× were calculated. When compared to the toxicity of each pharmaceutical exposed individually as previously reported [Quinn B, Gagné F, Blaise C. An investigation into the acute and chronic toxicity of eleven pharmaceuticals found in wastewater effluent on the cnidarian, H. attenuata. Sci Total Environ 2008a; 389: 306–314], the compounds in the mixture were present at concentrations 2 to 3 orders of magnitude lower for the equivalent toxicity (EC50 and TT). These results indicate that pharmaceuticals act additively in a mixture, having sub-lethal effects at environmentally relevant (µg/L–ng/L) concentrations and that their combined concentrations could potentially prove significantly ecotoxic to Hydra and possibly to other aquatic taxa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Hydra attenuata regeneration assay was used to identify the teratogenic potential of 10 pharmaceuticals identified in effluent from a large city wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Three types of solvents were used to solubilise the pharmaceuticals (DMSO, acetone and ethanol), at concentrations determined to have no significant effect on measured endpoints. On the one hand, regeneration was significantly inhibited at (nominal) concentrations of 1, 5 and 1 mg/L for gemfibrozil, ibuprofen and naproxen respectively and at the higher concentration of 50 mg/L for bezafibrate and trimethoprim. On the other hand, carbamazepine and the antibiotics sulfapyridine, oxytetracycline and novobiocin significantly increased regeneration at 25, 5, 50 and 50 mg/L respectively. Relatively high IC50 values of 0.9, 3.84, 4.9 and 22.5 mg/L were calculated for gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, naproxen and bezafibrate, respectively. However when subjected to tier two toxicity assessment under EU regulatory guidance using environmentally relevant concentrations a MEC/PNEC value>1 was calculated for gemfibrozil, ibuprofen and naproxen indicating teratogenic potential and the necessity for further tier three assessment. A toxicity index (TI) was also calculated using three different techniques, with TI values>3 (indicating teratogenic potential) found for gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, naproxen and bezafibrate and >1 (indicating a weak teratogenic potential) found for carbamazepine. These results are discussed in the context of their environmental relevance and toxic potential. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary:: Pharmaceuticals previously identified in the effluent from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Montreal discharging into the St. Lawrence river, were tested for acute and chronic toxicity using the cnidarian Hydra attenuata. Acute toxicity was based on the established technique looking at morphological changes in the Hydra, while recently developed endpoints of feeding behaviour, attachment and growth (hydranth number) were used to measure chronic effects. The compounds under investigation (ibuprofen, naproxen, gemfibrozil, bezafibrate, carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfapyridine, oxytetracycline, novobiocin, trimethoprim and caffeine) were tested individually in controlled laboratory exposures with LC50 and EC50 results calculated. All compounds tested had relatively high LC50 values with gemfibrozil, ibuprofen and naproxen having the lowest at 22.36 mg/L and EC50 values based on morphology of 1.18 to 2.62 mg/L (all concentrations are nominal). The EC50 values based on feeding were similar to those based on morphology but with increased sensitivity for carbamazepine, bezafibrate and novobiocin. A trend of a reduction in feeding with deterioration in morphology was observed in the Hydra, with the exception of novobiocin, where a lower than expected EC50 of 13.53 mg/L was found with no negative effect on morphology. Significant reductions in attachment and hydranth number were seen at concentrations of 1 and 5 mg/L for gemfibrozil and ibuprofen respectively. A toxicity threshold (TT) of 320 μg/L was calculated for ibuprofen, only a factor of 102 or 10 higher than the concentration found in the effluent in the present study (1.19 μg/L) and in other Canadian effluents studied (22 μg/L [Brun GL, Bernier M, Losier R, Doe K, Jackman P, Lee HB, Pharmaceutically active compounds in Atlantic Canadian sewage treatment plant effluents and receiving waters and potential for environmental effects as measured by acute and chronic aquatic toxicity. Environ Toxicol Chem 2006; 25(8): 2163–2176.] respectively. Using EU directive 93/67/EEC the pharmaceuticals under investigation can be classified as toxic (gemfibrozil, ibuprofen and naproxen), harmful (carbamazepine, bezafibrate, sulfapyridine, oxytetracycline and novobiocin) and non-toxic (sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and caffeine) and their potential toxicity for the aquatic environment is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nonylphenol (NP) is commonly found in surface waters nearby municipal wastewater treatment plants and was shown to have endocrine disrupting effects in aquatic organisms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the toxicity and potential endocrine disrupting effects of NP on the freshwater zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). Toxicity assessment yielded LC50 values of 3.68, 2.19 and 1.62 mg L−1 after 15, 35 and 50 days of exposure, respectively. LC10 values of 1.6, 1.11 and 0.68 mg L−1 were respectively obtained for similar exposure periods. At concentrations >5 mg L−1, mortality effects were significant, as were those relating to attachment and siphon extension (indicating filtration), both general indicators of health. Endocrine disruption effects were investigated after a prolonged exposure (112 d) to 5 and 500 μg L−1 NP by measuring Vitellin (Vn)-like protein levels using the alkali-labile phosphate (ALP) assay and gel electrophoresis (GE). An increase in ALP levels was observed in both male and female mussels, although only marginal owing to a significant decrease in the mussels'' health indicated by its condition, during the experiment. These levels, however, increased proportionally with NP concentration. Using solid phase thin-layer chromatography, we confirmed increased levels of the steroid cholesterol and evidence of NP uptake. Cholesterol levels in gonad tissue proved to be a more responsive biomarker of exposure to NP than levels of ALP. Further implications relating to the occurrence of endocrine disruption in the zebra mussel are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A biomarker study was undertaken using the Calico scallop Argopecten gibbus to assess the ecotoxicological effects of a semi-submerged municipal dump on the adjacent patch reef lagoon ecosystem (Castle harbour, Bermuda). Caged scallops were deployed in situ for 2 months at various distances from the dump (50m, 900m and 2.7km) and at a reference site (14km). A suite of biomarkers comprising metallothionein (MT), lipid peroxidation (LPO), vitellin-like proteins (Vn), glutathione S-transferase (GST), DNA strand breaks and condition factor (CF) were investigated in various tissues of the scallop (gill, digestive gland and gonad). Levels of heavy metals were also measured in the whole scallop soft tissue. While there was some variation in response between tissues, in general the results indicated that the dump was negatively impacting scallops deployed in the adjacent marine environment: elevated levels of MT, DNA strand breaks, Vn and GST and reduced condition factor were found for scallops deployed nearest to the dump and at the site 1.5km from this point source of contamination (Tuckers town) in Castle harbour, with respect to the reference site, North Rock (although this exhibited some degree of metal contamination). The gills from scallops deployed at the dump site were the most responsive tissue, with the highest expression of MT, LPO and DNA damage. This study indicates the potential of the Calico scallop as a convenient bioindicator species in the marine tropical benthos. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Municipal effluents have been shown to contain a cocktail of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The estrogenic effect of these effluents has been demonstrated on both vertebrate and invertebrate species by the feminisation of the exposed males. This effect was investigated on the freshwater zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) after exposure to tertiary treated effluent from a municipal sewage treatment works (STW). Mussels were exposed to the effluent in situ for 112 days during gametogenesis (December to mid-March). Levels of vitellin (Vn)-like proteins (the major protein found in oocytes) were measured indirectly using the alkali-labile phosphate (ALP) technique and confirmed by gel electrophoresis. Significant increases (P<0.05) in Vn-like proteins were found in both male and female mussels after exposure to the effluent, indicating that endocrine disruption (ED) had occurred. Using High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) levels of the mussels main steroid, cholesterol were found to more than double after effluent exposure. General physiological (survival, condition, etc.) and histological effects were also investigated. Histological effects observed included a large increase in interstitial tissue between the seminiferous tubules of the gonad in male mussels exposed to effluent. Effluent samples were tested for estrogenic compounds using the toxicity identification and evaluation method (TIE). A complex mixture of compounds with estrogenic activity was found with 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethynlestradiol and bisphenol A accounting for the majority of the effluents estrogenic activity. Results indicate that the zebra mussel is a suitable bioindicator of endocrine disruption in freshwater environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Microplastics are widely dispersed through the marine environment. Few studies have assessed the long-term or historic prevalence of microplastics, yet acquiring such data can inform their distribution, transport and the environmental risks posed. To quantify the distribution and polymer types temporally, sediment cores were collected from >2000 m water depth in the Rockall Trough, North Atlantic Ocean. As hypothesized, a significant negative trend was observed in the frequency of microplastics with increasing sediment age, however there was an increase in polymer diversity. Microplastics were pervasive throughout the sediment analysed (10 cm depth), yet lead-210 (210Pb) activities were confined to the upper 4 cm, indicating this layer to be ~150 years old and thus the presence of microplastics far exceed the production of modern plastic. A number of mechanisms, including sediment reworking, could redistribute microplastics vertically. Additionally, microplastics abundance was significantly correlated with sediment porosity, suggesting interstitial transport via pore waters. Unlabelled Image • A negative trend was identified between microplastics (MPs) abundance and increasing sediment chronology • MPs were present throughout the sediment depth studied (10cm), which far exceeded the age of plastic production • Polymer diversity was observed to increase through the core depth • Pore water is a potential distribution pathway, as indicated by the positive correlation between MPs and sediment porosity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel workflow based on non-targeted spectroscopic fingerprinting and machine learning algorithm for GI discrimination of Black tea was developed. • A large number of samples (n = 360) from nine GI regions around the world were analysed and achieved good discrimination. • Machine learning greatly improved the prediction performance of GI identification, especially for SVM and KNN model using FTIR with 100% accuracy for internal 5-fold cross-validation and external validation. Food fraud, along with many challenges to the integrity and sustainability, threatens the prosperity of businesses and society as a whole. Tea is the second most commonly consumed non-alcoholic beverage globally. Challenges to tea authenticity require the development of highly efficient and rapid solutions to improve supply chain transparency. This study has produced an innovative workflow for black tea geographical indications (GI) discrimination based on non-targeted spectroscopic fingerprinting techniques. A total of 360 samples originating from nine GI regions worldwide were analysed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Near Infrared spectroscopy. Machine learning algorithms (k-nearest neighbours and support vector machine models) applied to the test data greatly improved the GI identification achieving 100% accuracy using FTIR. This workflow will provide a low-cost and user-friendly solution for on-site and real-time determination of black tea geographical origin along supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Demonstrating the novel application of MALDI-ToF for food authenticity analysis. • Developing a software pipeline capable to enable MALDI-ToF food authenticity workflows. • Identification of wild and farmed salmon through MALDI-ToF fingerprinting profile. • Achieving 100% accuracy in distinguishing wild and farmed salmon. In this study, the difference between wild and farmed salmon production was successfully profiled and differentiated by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) combined with chemometric analysis. The established method based on multivariate analysis mainly involved principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) as the screening and verifying tools to provide insights into the distinctive features found in wild and farmed salmon products, respectively. The discrimination between farmed and wild salmon was accomplished with 100% classification accuracy using chemometric models, 100% identification accuracy was also achieved in distinguishing wild Salmo salar and Oncorhynchus nerka samples. The results of the present work suggest that the proposed method could serve as a reference for detecting salmon fraud relating to wild or farmed production and expand the application of MALDI-ToF technology further into food authenticity applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin is considered to be the most important mycotoxin in the world for human food and animal feed. Current strategies for the reduction of mycotoxins in food and feed includes both prevention and removal. It is clear that the development and implementation of novel decontamination methods is critical for the protection of human and animal health. This review focuses on post-harvest- biological, chemical and physical processes that could potentially be applied to aflatoxin decontamination. The application of novel technologies are reviewed in detail, as well as the advantages, disadvantages and limitations of these methods. This review investigates the potential for novel approaches to achieve aflatoxin decontamination. The limitations that are associated with conventional methods of mycotoxin removal have led to ongoing research into alternative decontamination methods using novel technologies. The combination of fluorescence-based sorting to remove highly contaminated produce, paired with a secondary decontamination process is believed to have great potential to deliver effective reduction in aflatoxin contamination, whilst retaining the organoleptic and nutritional profile, and preventing significant food waste. Novel decontamination approaches when applied to aflatoxin decontamination are of huge interest and a growing need for global food security. • Naturally occurring toxins are unavoidable and pose a unique challenge to food safety. • Fluorescence-based sorting prior to decontamination may prevent produce loss due to aflatoxin. • Combined multi-technology approach has a greater potential to combat aflatoxin contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• LC-MS/MS multimethod was extended and validated for veterinary drugs in chicken feed and milk. • Extraction procedure for both matrices was optimized. • The method was transferred and an interlaboratory comparison was conducted. An HPLC-MS/MS multi-class method for quantitation of 15 different classes of veterinary drug residues (>140 analytes) in milk and poultry feed was developed and validated. Accuracy criteria for routine laboratories were met for the majority of analytes, > 83 % in milk and between 50 and 60 % in chicken feed, with an apparent recovery of 60–140 %. Extraction efficiency criteria were met for >95 % of the analytes for milk and > 80 % for chicken feed. Intermediate precision meets the SANTE criterion of RSD < 20 % for 80–90 % of the analytes in both matrices. For all analytes with an existing MRL in milk, the LOQ was below the related MRL. Twenty-nine samples of commercial milk and chicken feed were analyzed within the interlaboratory comparison. No residues of veterinary drugs were found in the milk samples. However, the feed samples exhibited high levels of nicarbazin, salinomycin, and decoquinate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health conscious and environmentally aware consumers are purchasing more organically produced foods. They prefer organic fruits and leafy vegetables as these are much less likely to have been exposed to contaminants such as pesticides. The detection of fraudulent activity in this area is difficult to undertake, because many chemical plant protection treatments degrade very quickly or can be washed off to remove evidence of their existence. It was found that when combining DART-MS with a compact, inexpensive and robust single quadrupole mass spectrometer, it was possible to differentiate organic from conventional leeks with 93.8% to 100% accuracy. ICP-MS results showed similar performance, with an ability to differentiate conventional from organic leeks with 92.5% to 98.1% accuracy. This study has paved the way for the certification of vegetables as being organically produced. The next step is to create data libraries to support the roll out of the methodologies described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Biomarkers are a common tool in the assessment of potential effects of contaminants in aquatic organisms. In order to identify the effects of anthropogenic pollution it is essential to identify background levels and to know the range of natural variability in the biomarker response. In this study, we examined various biomarkers of stress (glutathione S-transferase and metallothionein), damage (lipid peroxidation (LPO) and DNA damage (DNA)) and reproduction (vitellin-like proteins) in marine mussels (Mytilus spp.) from four locations along a vertical transect from high to low shore and compared them with cultivated long line mussels. High shore and cultivated mussels showed significantly higher LPO and DNA damage expression than the low shore mussels indicating a level of oxidative stress resulting from mussel location. Significant effects in physiological endpoints were also found. This study highlights the need to consider the diversity of natural environmental stress factors when using biomarkers in environmental assessment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract The domestic, agricultural, industrial, technological and medical applications of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) have led to global pollution in all environments. In this study, the cnidarian Hydra attenuata was exposed individually and to a mixture of 5 metals (copper, iron, manganese, zinc and nickel) at environmentally relevant concentrations (1×) within the Clyde estuary, Scotland and incremental concentrations ranging from 0.0001× to 1000×. Toxicity was investigated using morphology, attachment, hydranth number and feeding behaviour as endpoints. When exposed individually, Cu, Mn and Fe significantly reduced Hydra morphology, feeding and attachment at environmentally relevant concentrations. Hydra mortality was measured, having an LC50 of 0.045× (for the environmentally relevant mixture of metals) and Cu 0.5 mg/l, Fe 3 mg/l, Mn 2 mg/l, Zn 0.1 mg/l, Ni 0.5 mg/l for each element exposed individually. The PTE mixture incurred a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in morphology at 0.0001×, with 100% mortality at 0.1× (containing a concentration of Cu 0.05 mg/l, Fe 0.3 mg/l, Mn 0.2 mg/l, Zn 0.01 mg/l, Ni 0.05 mg/l) and a toxicity threshold (TT) of 0.000005×. Both copper and iron when exposed individually to the concentration of their respective metals found in the environment resulted in 100% mortality for all Hydra exposed. These results indicate that the PTE mixture (including the individual concentrations of copper, iron, manganese and nickel) could potentially prove significantly toxic to the aquatic environment. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Elevated concentrations of the PTEs Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and Ni were found from 3 sites in the Clyde estuary, Scotland. • The concentration of PTEs (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni) found in the environment showed an LC50 value to Hydra attenuata of 0.045x. • When exposed at environmental levels, Cu, Mn and Fe significantly reduced Hydra morphology, feeding and attachment. • All significant toxic effects occurred within 24h exposure, potentially replacing the need for a 96h toxicity test. • This is the first study to investigate the toxicity of any Hydra species to Fe, Mn or Ni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether morphologic analysis can differentiate between benign and malignant renal tumors on clinically acquired imaging.Materials and Methods: Between 2009 and 2014, 3-dimensional tumor volumes were manually segmented from contrast-enhanced computerized tomography (CT) images from 150 patients with predominantly solid, nonmacroscopic fat-containing renal tumors: 100 renal cell carcinomas and 50 benign lesions (eg, oncocytoma and lipid-poor angiomyolipoma). Tessellated 3-dimensional tumor models were created from segmented voxels using MATLAB code. Eleven shape descriptors were calculated: sphericity, compactness, mean radial distance, standard deviation of the radial distance, radial distance area ratio, zero crossing, entropy, Feret ratio, convex hull area and convex hull perimeter ratios, and elliptic compactness. Morphometric parameters were compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test to investigate whether malignant renal masses demonstrate more morphologic irregularity than benign ones.Results: Only CHP in sagittal orientation (median 0.96 vs 0.97) and EC in coronal orientation (median 0.92 vs 0.93) differed significantly between malignant and benign masses (P = .04). When comparing these 2 metrics between coronal and sagittal orientations, similar but nonsignificant trends emerged (P = .07). Other metrics tested were not significantly different in any imaging plane.Conclusion: Computerized image analysis is feasible using shape descriptors that otherwise cannot be visually assessed and used without quantification. Shape analysis via the transverse orientation may be reasonable, but encompassing all 3 planar dimensions to characterize tumor contour can achieve a more comprehensive evaluation. Two shape metrics (CHP and EC) may help distinguish benign from malignant renal tumors, an often challenging goal to achieve on imaging and biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical translation of bioactive scaffolds for the treatment of large segmental bone defects has remained a challenge due to safety and efficacy concerns as well as prohibitive costs. The design of an implantable, biocompatible and resorbable device, which can fill the defect space, allow for cell infiltration, differentiation and neovascularisation, while also recapitulating the natural repair process and inducing cells to lay down new bone tissue, would alleviate the problems with existing treatments. We have developed a gene-activated scaffold platform using a bone-mimicking collagen hydroxyapatite scaffold loaded with chitosan nanoparticles carrying genes encoding osteogenic (BMP-2) and angiogenic (VEGF) proteins. With a single treatment, protein expression by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) seeded onto the scaffold is sustained for up to 28 days and is functional in inducing MSC osteogenesis. The in vivo safety and efficacy of this gene-activated scaffold platform was demonstrated resulting in the successful transfection of host cells, abrogating the requirement for multiple procedures to isolate cells or ex vivo cell culture. Furthermore, the level of bone formation at the exceptionally early time-point of 28 days was comparable to that achieved following recombinant BMP-2 protein delivery after 8 weeks in vivo , without the adverse side effects and at a fraction of the cost. This naturally derived cell-free gene-activated scaffold thus represents a new ‘off-the-shelf’ product capable of accelerating bone repair in critical-sized bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports concerning the quantitative analysis of pharmaceuticals in marine ecosystems are somewhat limited. It is necessary to determine pharmaceutical fate and assess any potential risk of exposure to aquatic species and ultimately, seafood consumers. In the work presented herein, analytical methods were optimised and validated for the quantification of pharmaceutical residues in wastewater effluent, receiving marine waters and marine mussels (Mytilus spp.). Selected pharmaceuticals included two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (diclofenac and mefenamic acid), an antibiotic (trimethoprim), an antiepileptic (carbamazepine) and a lipid regulator (gemfibrozil). This paper also presents the results of an in situ study in which caged Mytilus spp. were deployed at three sites on the Irish coastline over a 1-year period. In water samples, pharmaceutical residues were determined using solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The extraction of pharmaceuticals from mussel tissues used an additional pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) step prior to SPE and LC–MS/MS. Limits of quantification between 15 and 225ng·L−1 were achieved in wastewater effluent, between 3 and 38ng·L−1 in marine surface water and between 4 and 29ng·g−1 dry weight in marine mussels. Method linearity was achieved for pharmaceuticals in each matrix with correlation coefficients of R2 ≥0.976. All five selected pharmaceuticals were quantified in wastewater effluent and marine surface waters. This work has demonstrated the susceptibility of the Mytilus spp. to pharmaceutical exposure following the detection of pharmaceutical residues in the tissues of this mussel species at measurable concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is a lack of studies mapping electrophysiological event-related potentials (ERPs) to structural neuroanatomical characteristics. The aim of the present study was to integrate electrophysiological memory-related activity with cortical and hippocampal volume, as well as psychometric memory performance, in a life-span sample. More specifically, we wanted to investigate the functional significance of the often-observed frontal shift of ERP amplitude with increasing age and whether neuroanatomical characteristics can explain this shift. Sixty six healthy participants (20–78 years) went through a neuropsychological examination, MRI scans, and a visual recognition ERP task with verbal stimuli. The results showed that ERPs elicited in the recognition memory task (the old/new effect) correlated significantly with cortical volume, but not with hippocampal volume. Large cortex predicted more differentiated ERP activity and not just larger amplitude in general, implying more distinct and efficient retrieval. Furthermore, ERP amplitude, cortical volume, and hippocampal volume all predicted scores on a composite memory scale. All these relationship were dependent upon the common influence of age. Finally, the participants with the most anterior distribution of activity showed the poorest recognition memory performance. Neither cortical nor hippocampal volume were related to this frontal shift. It is concluded that the distribution of activity along the anterior–posterior axis in a memory paradigm may have functional but not neuroanatomical volumetric correlates. The functional correlates need not be restricted to the older age groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effect of age was investigated in and compared across 16 automatically segmented brain measures: cortical gray matter, cerebral white matter, hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, the accumbens area, caudate, putamen, pallidum, brainstem, cerebellar cortex, cerebellar white matter, the lateral ventricle, the inferior lateral ventricle, and the 3rd and 4th ventricle. Significant age effects were found for all volumes except pallidum and the 4th ventricle. Heterogeneous age responses were seen in that age relationships for cortex, amygdala, thalamus, the accumbens area, and caudate were linear, while cerebral white matter, hippocampus, brainstem, cerebellar white, and gray matter, as well as volume of the lateral, inferior lateral, and 3rd ventricles showed curvilinear relationships with age. In general, the findings point to global and large effects of age across brain volumes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The rationale for the present study was to investigate the relationship between cortical volume, the latency of the ERP component P3a (as a measure of speed-of-processing), and performance intelligence (not adjusted for age differences). Seventy-one participants aged 20–88 years underwent a visual 3-stimuli oddball ERP task, an MRI-scan, and intelligence testing. P3a latency and cortical volume shared 9% variance (p &#60;.05) and both were significantly related to performance intelligence (R 2 =.26 and .40, respectively). The amount of explained variance increased significantly (to R 2 =.51) when both measures were used as simultaneous predictors. When a path diagram was constructed including age as an exogenous variable, P3a latency and cortical volume both significantly predicted performance intelligence, but were no longer related to one another. The main conclusion from the study is that speed and size are complementary in prediction of performance intelligence, and the theoretical implications are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]