Short- and long-term consequences of prenatal testosterone for immune function: an experimental study in the zebra finch

Hormone-mediated maternal effects play an important role in the formation of a differentiated phenotype. They have been shown to influence a wide array of offspring traits, both early in life and in adulthood. One important offspring trait that is under the influence of maternal androgens is the immune system. In birds, a growing number of studies show that yolk androgens modulate immune function during the chick stage. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding long-term effects of prenatal androgens on offspring immunity. In this study, we therefore investigated the influence of prenatal testosterone (T) on several measures of immunity in fledgling and adult zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Cell-mediated immune response (towards phytohaemagglutinin, PHA) of fledglings hatching from control eggs was negatively related to brood size, whereas there was no such association for fledglings hatching from eggs with experimentally elevated T levels (T fledglings). Male control fledglings showed reduced mass gain compared to female control fledglings within 24 h after the PHA injection. This pattern was reversed in T fledglings. Total antibody levels in fledglings were not affected by egg treatment. Neither cell-mediated immunity nor total antibody levels in sexually mature zebra finches were influenced by egg treatment. However, there was an immuno-enhancing effect of elevated egg T on both primary and secondary humoral immune responses toward diphtheria and tetanus antigens in ca 5 and 7 month old zebra finches. In addition, the covariation between different immune components differed between T and control offspring, suggesting that egg treatment may have altered the potential trade-offs between different parts of the immune system. Our results suggest that prenatal androgens could be an important factor contributing to individual variation in immune function even in adulthood.     

Chiral pharmaceuticals in the environment

Many pharmaceutical pollutants are chiral, existing in the environment as a single enantiomer or as mixtures of the two enantiomers. In spite of their similar physical and chemical properties, the different spatial configurations lead the enantiomers to have different interactions with enzymes, receptors or other chiral molecules, which can give diverse biological response. Consequently, biodegradation process and ecotoxicity tend to be enantioselective. Despite numerous ongoing research regarding analysis and monitorization of pharmaceutical ingredients in the environment, the fate and effects of single enantiomers of chiral pharmaceuticals (CP) in the environment are still largely unknown. There are only few chiral analytical methods to accurately measure the enantiomeric fraction (EF) in environmental matrices and during biodegradation processes. Furthermore, the ecotoxicity studies usually consider the enantiomeric pair as unique compound. We reviewed the current knowledge about CP in the environment, as well as the chiral analytical methods to determine the EF in environmental matrices. The degradation and removal processes of CP of important therapeutic classes, usually detected in the environment, and their toxicity to aquatic organisms were also reviewed. On the other hand, this review demonstrate that despite the great importance of the stereochemistry in pharmaceutical science, pharmacology and organic chemistry, this is normally neglected in environmental studies. Therefore, CP in the environment need much more attention from the scientific community, and more research within this subject is required.     

Joint use of data and modeling in coastal wave transformation

In the framework of a research project entitled ??BRISA??BReaking waves and Induced SAnd transport??, a methodology was devised to characterize the waves joining together in-situ measurements and numerical wave propagation models. With this goal in mind, a number of in-situ measurements were made, for selected positions in front of Praia de Faro (South Portugal), during four days (25th to 28th March, 2009) by using different types of equipments (e.g., resistive wave gauges, pressure sensors, currentmeters and a new prototype pore pressure sensor using optical fibre). Wave records were obtained simultaneously offshore (at a water depth of 11.7?m below mean sea level, MSL) and at the surf and swash zones. The data processing and analysis were made by applying classical time domain techniques. Numerical simulations of the wave propagation between offshore and inshore for the measurement period were performed with two numerical models, a 1D model based on linear theory and a nonlinear Boussinesq-type model, COULWAVE, both forced by the measured offshore wave conditions of 27th March 2009. Comparisons between numerical results and field data for the pressure sensors placed in the surf and swash zones were made and discussed. This approach enables to evaluate the performance of those models to simulate those specific conditions, but also to validate the models by gaining confidence on their use in other conditions.     

Development and validation of methods for environmental monitoring of cyclophosphamide in workplaces

Methods to monitor contamination of workplaces with antineoplastic drugs have been developed and validated. Cyclophosphamide (CP) was used as a model compound as it is one of the most commonly used antineoplastic drugs. A wipe sampling method to detect contamination with CP at surfaces was developed. A personal air sampling method to sample gas and vapour on solid sorbent tubes and particles with filters was also developed. Wipe and filter samples were extracted and sorbent samples were eluted, all with ethyl acetate. The samples were analysed with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. (2)H(6)-labelled cyclophosphamide was used as an internal standard. The between-day precision was 2-5% for wipe samples, 4-6% for sorbent samples and 3-8% for filter samples. The limit of detection was 0.02 ng CP per sample for the wipe and filter methods and 0.03 ng CP per sample for the solid sorbent method. Wipe sampling on surfaces made of different materials resulted in mean recoveries between 78-106%. The desorption recovery was between 97-102% for the wipe samples, 97% for the sorbent samples and 101% for the filter samples. Samples were stable for up to 2 months at 5 degrees C and -20 degrees C and for about 2 d at room temperature. The developed methods were applied to the measurement of contamination with CP in a hospital pharmacy. Trace amounts of CP, 1.3 and 1.4 ng, were detected on surfaces in the pharmacy.     

Long-term development of inorganic nutrients and chlorophyll alpha in the open northern Baltic Sea

Eutrophication is an ongoing process in most parts of the Baltic Sea. This article reports on the changes during recent decades of several eutrophication-related variables in the open sea areas surrounding Finland (wintertime nutrient concentrations, wintertime nutrient ratios, and summer time chlorophyll alpha concentrations at the surface). The sum of nitrate- and nitrite-nitrogen ([NO3+NO2]-N) was observed to increase nearly fourfold in the Northern Baltic Proper and the Gulf of Finland and almost double in the Bothnian Sea from the 1960s until the 1980s or 1990s. The increase was followed by a decrease, which was modest in the two former subregions. Phosphate-phosphorus (PO4-P) concentrations followed a similar pattern in the Northern Baltic Proper (threefold increase and subsequent slight decrease) and Bothnian Sea (30% increase and subsequent decrease), but increased throughout the study in the Gulf of Finland, with the present concentration being threefold to the measurements made in the early 1970s. The PO4-P concentration decreased throughout the study in the Bothnian Bay. Silicate-silicon (SiO4-Si) concentrations decreased 30-50% from the early 1970s to the late 1990s and increased 20-40% thereafter in the Northern Baltic Proper, the Gulf of Finland, and the Bothnian Sea. Chlorophyll alpha showed an increase of over 150% in the Northern Baltic Proper and the Gulf of Finland from the 1970s until the early 2000s. In the Bothnian Sea the chlorophyll alpha concentration increased more than 180% from the late 1970s until the late 1990s, and decreased thereafter. According to these long-term observations, the Gulf of Finland and Northern Baltic Proper show clear signs of eutrophication, which may be emphasized by hydrographical changes affecting the phytoplankton communities and thus the algal biomass.     

Coupled solar photo-Fenton and biological treatment for the degradation of diuron and linuron herbicides at pilot scale

A coupled solar photo-Fenton (chemical) and biological treatment has been used to remove biorecalcitrant diuron (42 mg l(-1)) and linuron (75 mg l(-1)) herbicides from water at pilot plant scale. The chemical process has been carried out in a 82 l solar pilot plant made up by four compound parabolic collector units, and it was followed by a biological treatment performed in a 40 l sequencing batch reactor. Two Fe(II) doses (2 and 5 mg l(-1)) and sequential additions of H2O2 (20 mg l(-1)) have been used to chemically degrade the initially polluted effluent. Next, biodegradability at different oxidation states has been assessed by means of BOD/COD ratio. A reagent dose of Fe=5 mg l(-1) and H2O2=100 mg l(-1) has been required to obtain a biodegradable effluent after 100 min of irradiation time. Finally, the organic content of the photo-treated solution has been completely assimilated by a biomass consortium in the sequencing batch reactor using a total suspended solids concentration of 0.2 g l(-1) and a hydraulic retention time of 24h. Comparison between the data obtained at pilot plant scale (specially the one corresponding to the chemical step) and previously published data from a similar system performing at laboratory scale, has been carried out.