Effects of Chronic Waterborne Nickle Exposure on Two Successive Generations of \u3cem\u3eDaphnia Magna\u3c/em\u3e

In a 21-d chronic toxicity test in which an F0 generation of Daphnia magna were exposed to waterborne Ni, the noobservable-effect concentration (for survival, reproduction, and growth) was 42 μg Ni L-1, or 58% of the measured 21-d median lethal concentration (LC50) of 71.9 μg Ni L-1 (95% confidence interval, 56.5–95.0). Chronic exposure to 85 μg Ni L-1 caused marked decreases in survival, reproduction, and growth in F0 animals. In the F1 generation (daphnids born of mothers from the chronically exposed F0 generation), animals chronically exposed to 42 μg Ni L-1 for 11 d weighed significantly less (20%) than controls, indicating increased sensitivity of F1 animals. Additionally, in this successive generation, significant decreases in whole-body levels of metabolites occurred following exposure to both 42 μg Ni L-1 (decreased glycogen and adenosine triphosphate [ATP]) and 21 μg Ni L-1 (decreased ATP). No significant changes were observed in whole-body total lipid, total protein, and lactate levels at any concentration. Whereas F1 neonates with mothers that were exposed to 21 μg Ni L-1 showed increased resistance to acute Ni challenge, as measured by a significant (83%) increase in the acute (48-h) LC50, F1 neonates with mothers that were exposed to 42 μg Ni L-1 were no more tolerant of acute Ni challenge than control animals were. Nickel accumulations in F1 animals chronically exposed to 21 and 42 μg Ni L-1 were 11- and 18-fold, respectively, above control counterparts. The data presented suggest that chronic Ni exposure to two successive generations of D. magna lowered the overall energy state in the second generation. Whereas the quantity of neonates produced was not affected, the quality was; thus, environmentally meaningful criteria for regulating waterborne Ni concentrations in freshwater require consideration of possible multigenerational effects

Upper Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Climate Exchange in Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims: Community Based Study Islamic Year 1427

Background: Upper gastrointestinal symptoms rank among the three most common diseases for Indonesian hajj pilgrims in last 4 years. The prevalence was 22-34% per hajj season. Most of the cases were dyspepsia syndrome and Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). The internal risk factor of Upper gastrointestinal symptoms is largely known, but not for external factor such as environment and climate. Aim: To examine the association between climate exchange and upper gastrointestinal symptoms Methods: Dynamic population of 204,941 Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims in Islamic year 1427 were included for this study. Multiphase screening in Indonesia found the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms was 3.32%. Prospective follow up for upper gastrointestinal symptom-based on community health services (flight group/kloter and maktab policlinic/polimaktab) and hospital base (Sub Balai Pengobatan Haji Indonesia, Balai Pengobatan Haji Indonesia [BPHI] and Saudi Arabia hospital) was conducted in Saudi Arabia. Results: The incidence rate of the upper gastrointestinal symptoms was 2.4 per mile (95% CI = 1.8 -3.1). There was no significant difference among male and female p = 0.279 (95% CI = 0.18- 5.3) and there was significant difference among work area (Daker) p = 0.001 (95% CI = 50.4-182.5). There was no significant correlation between upper gastrointestinal symptoms and temperature or humidity in 3 work area (p = 0.155) Mecca, Medina and Jeddah. Conclusion: There was no significant correlation between climate exchanges to the upper gastrointestinal symptoms

Physiological effects of environmental acidification in the deep-sea urchin <i>Strongylocentrotus fragilis</i>

Anthropogenic CO₂ is now reaching depths over 1000 m in the Eastern Pacific, overlapping the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ). Deep-sea animals are suspected to be especially sensitive to environmental acidification associated with global climate change. We have investigated the effects of elevated <i>p</i>CO₂ and variable O₂ on the deep-sea urchin <i>Strongylocentrotus fragilis</i>, a species whose range of 200–1200 m depth includes the OMZ and spans a <i>p</i>CO₂ range of approx. 600–1200 μatm (approx. pH 7.6 to 7.8). Individuals were evaluated during two exposure experiments (1-month and 4 month) at control and three levels of elevated <i>p</i>CO₂ at in situ O₂ levels of approx. 10% air saturation. A treatment of control <i>p</i>CO₂ at 100% air saturation was also included in experiment two. During the first experiment, perivisceral coelomic fluid (PCF) acid-base balance was investigated during a one-month exposure; results show <i>S. fragilis</i> has limited ability to compensate for the respiratory acidosis brought on by elevated <i>p</i>CO₂, due in part to low non-bicarbonate PCF buffering capacity. During the second experiment, individuals were separated into fed and fasted experimental groups, and longer-term effects of elevated <i>p</i>CO₂ and variable O₂ on righting time, feeding, growth, and gonadosomatic index (GSI) were investigated for both groups. Results suggest that the acidosis found during experiment one does not directly correlate with adverse effects during exposure to realistic future <i>p</i>CO₂ levels

Theory of Mind and Emotion Regulation Difficulties in Adolescents With Borderline Traits

Objective: Dysfunctions in both emotion regulation and social cognition (understanding behavior in mental state terms, theory of mind or mentalizing) have been proposed as explanations for disturbances of interpersonal behavior in borderline personality disorder (BPD). This study aimed to examine mentalizing in adolescents with emerging BPD from a dimensional and categorical point of view, controlling for gender, age, Axis I and Axis II symptoms, and to explore the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relation between theory of mind and borderline traits. Method: The newly developed Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) was administered alongside self-report measures of emotion regulation and psychopathology to 111 adolescent inpatients between the ages of 12 to 17 (mean age = 15.5 years; SD = 1.44 years). For categorical analyses borderline diagnosis was determined through semi-structured clinical interview, which showed that 23% of the sample met criteria for BPD. Results: Findings suggest a relationship between borderline traits and "hypermentalizing" (excessive, inaccurate mentalizing) independent of age, gender, externalizing, internalizing and psychopathy symptoms. The relation between hypermentalizing and BPD traits was partially mediated by difficulties in emotion regulation, accounting for 43.5% of the hypermentalizing to BPD path. Conclusions: Results suggest that in adolescents with borderline personality features the loss of mentalization is more apparent in the emergence of unusual alternative strategies (hypermentalizing) than in the loss of the capacity per se (no mentalizing or undermentalizing). Moreover, for the first time, empirical evidence is provided to support the notion that mentalizing exerts its influence on borderline traits through the mediating role of emotion dysregulation. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 2011;50(6): 563-573

Divergent behavior of hydrogen sulfide pools and of the sulfur metabolite lanthionine, a novel uremic toxin, in dialysis patients.

Dialysis patients display a high cardiovascular mortality, the causes of which are still not completely explained, but are related to uremic toxicity. Among uremic toxins, homocysteine and cysteine are both substrates of cystathionine β-synthase and cystathionine γ-lyase in hydrogen sulfide biosynthesis, leading to the formation of two sulfur metabolites, lanthionine and homolanthionine, considered stable indirect biomarkers of its production. Hydrogen sulfide is involved in the modulation of multiple pathophysiological responses. In uremia, we have demonstrated low plasma total hydrogen sulfide levels, due to reduced cystathionine γ-lyase expression. Plasma hydrogen sulfide levels were measured in hemodialysis patients and healthy controls with three different techniques in comparison, allowing to discern the different pools of this gas. The protein-bound (the one thought to be the most active) and acid-labile forms are significantly decreased, while homolanthionine, but especially lanthionine, accumulate in the blood of uremic patients. The hemodialysis regimen plays a role in determining sulfur compounds levels, and lanthionine is partially removed by a single dialysis session. Lanthionine inhibits hydrogen sulfide production in cell cultures under conditions comparable to in vivo ones. We therefore propose that lanthionine is a novel uremic toxin. The possible role of high lanthionine as a contributor to the genesis of hyperhomocysteinemia in uremia is discusse