Life Sciences Commons^™

A Temporal Record Of Microplastic Pollution In Mediterranean Seagrass Soils, Martin Dahl, Sanne Bergman, Mats Björk, Elena Diaz-Almela, Maria Granberg, Martin Gullström, Carmen Leiva-Dueñas, Kerstin Magnusson, Candela Marco-Méndez, Nerea Piñeiro-Juncal, Miguel Ángel Mateo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2021 Elsevier Ltd Plastic pollution is emerging as a potential threat to the marine environment. In the current study, we selected seagrass meadows, known to efficiently trap organic and inorganic particles, to investigate the concentrations and dynamics of microplastics in their soil. We assessed microplastic contamination and accumulation in 210Pb dated soil cores collected in Posidonia oceanica meadows at three locations along the Spanish Mediterranean coast, with two sites located in the Almería region (Agua Amarga and Roquetas) and one at Cabrera Island (Santa Maria). Almería is known for its intense agricultural industry with 30 000 ha of plastic-covered …

Pharmacokinetics And Antiangiogenic Studies Of Potassium Koetjapate In Rats, Seyedeh F. Jafari, Fouad Saleih R. Al-Suede, Ashwaq H.S. Yehya, Mohamed B.K. Ahamed, Armaghan Shafaei, Muhammad Asif, Yasser M. Tabana, Amin M.S.A. Majid, Hussein M. Baharetha

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 Purpose: Koetjapic acid is an active compound of a traditional medicinal plant, Sandoricum koetjape. Although koetjapic acid has a promising anticancer potential, yet it is highly insoluble in aqueous solutions. To increase aqueous solubility of koetjapic acid, we have previously reported a chemical modification of koetjapic acid to potassium koetjapate (KKA). However, pharmacokinetics of KKA has not been studied. In this study, pharmacokinetics and antiangiogenic efficacy of KKA are investigated. Methods: Pharmacokinetics of KKA was studied after intravenous and oral administration in SD rats using HPLC. Anti-angiogenic efficacy of KKA was investigated in rat aorta, human endothelial cells …

Distribution And Evolution Of Fukushima Dai-Ichi Derived 137cs, 90sr, And 129i In Surface Seawater Off The Coast Of Japan, Jennifer A. Kenyon, Ken O. Buesseler, Núria Casacuberta, Maxi Castrillejo, Shigeyoshi Otosaka, Pere Masqué, Jessica A. Drysdale, Steven M. Pike, Virginie Sanial

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 American Chemical Society. The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants (FDNPPs) accident in 2011 led to an unprecedented release of radionuclides into the environment. Particularly important are 90Sr and 137Cs due to their known health detriments and long half-lives (T1/2 ≈ 30 y) relative to ecological systems. These radionuclides can be combined with the longer-lived 129I (T1/2 = 15.7 My) to trace hydrologic, atmospheric, oceanic, and geochemical processes. This study seeks to evaluate 137Cs, 90Sr, and 129I concentrations in seawater off the coast of Japan, reconcile the sources of contaminated waters, and assess the application of 137Cs/90Sr, 129I/137Cs, and …

Watersheds In Planetary Health Research And Action, Aaron Jenkins, Anthony Capon, Joel Negin, Ben Marais, Tania Sorrell, Margot Parkes, Pierre Horwitz

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Watersheds (also known as water catchments and river basins) are recognised in contemporary science as important natural systems in which to investigate the complex socioecological foundations of health. A watershed is the spatially bound geophysical unit within which surface and shallow groundwater drain to a single collecting stream or river (see appendix). Watersheds are physical and abstract systems: they are open and hydrologically permeable, yet can be represented as functionally distinct. Collectively, watersheds comprise a complex hierarchical network, and thus exemplify the upstream and downstream nature of ecosystems. Watersheds include the social actors, relationships, and institutions located within their boundaries. …

Remobilization Of Heavy Metals By Mangrove Leaves, Hanan Almahasheer, Oscar Serrano, Carlos M. Duarte, Xabier Irigoien

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Several studies have been carried out on heavy metal pollution in mangrove ecosystems. However, the role of mangroves in heavy metal remobilization is still relatively unknown. On one side, mangrove woody organs and soils sequester heavy metals for long time periods, but on the other hand, senescence of mangrove leaves may return these metals collected by roots to the upper layers of the soil. Here, we analyzed the concentration of chemical elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, and Zn) as a function of age in mangrove leaves to understand heavy metals retention by …

The Highs And Lows Of Making A Bucket List - Quantifying Potential Mosquito Breeding Habitats In Metropolitan Backyards, Ram Sharan Lamichhane, Peter J. Neville, Jacques Oosthuizen, Kim Clark, Maria Fatouros, Shelley Beatty

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

While the development of land for residential housing along the Swan and Canning Rivers in Perth, WA, Australia has reduced natural mosquito breeding sites, the role of backyard container breeding remains a relatively unknown factor. Local Governments responsible for these areas focus management and control efforts on low lying, tidally driven mosquito habitats to control Aedes vigilax (Skuse) and Aedes camptorhynchus (Thomson) mosquitoes in an effort to reduce both the nuisance and disease risk to residents. In spite of their efforts, Local Governments continue to receive complaints regarding mosquito nuisance, even when environmental conditions do not favor hatching and development …

Fine Particulate Air Pollution And Hospital Emergency Room Visits For Respiratory Disease In Urban Areas In Beijing, China, In 2013, Qin Xu, Xia Li, Shuo Wang, Chao Wang, Fangfang Huang, Qi Gao, Lijuan Wu, Lixin Tao, Jin Guo, Wei Wang, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Heavy fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) air pollution occurs frequently in China. However, epidemiological research on the association between short-term exposure to PM_2.5 pollution and respiratory disease morbidity is still limited. This study aimed to explore the association between PM_2.5 pollution and hospital emergency room visits (ERV) for total and cause-specific respiratory diseases in urban areas in Beijing. Methods Daily counts of respiratory ERV from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2013, were obtained from ten general hospitals located in urban areas in Beijing. Concurrently, data on PM_2.5 were collected from the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, …

Validation Of Type 2 Diabetes Risk Variants Identified By Genome-Wide Association Studies In Northern Han Chinese, Ping Rao, Yong Zhou, Siqi Ge, Anxin Wang, Xinwei Yu, Mohamed Ali Alzain, Andrea K. Veronica, Jing Qiu, Manshu Song, Jie Zhang, Hao Wang, Honghong Fang, Qing Gao, Youxin Wang, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

More than 60 genetic susceptibility loci associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been established in populations of Asian and European ancestry. Given ethnic differences and environmental factors, validation of the effects of genetic risk variants with reported associations identified by Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWASs) is essential. The study aims at evaluating the associations of T2DM with 29 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 19 candidate genes derived from GWASs in a northern Han Chinese population.

Method:

In this case-control study, 461 T2DM-diagnosed patients and 434 controls were recruited at the Jidong oil field hospital (Hebei, China) from January …

Using Global Positioning Systems (Gps) And Temperature Data To Generate Time-Activity Classifications For Estimating Personal Exposure In Air Monitoring Studies: An Automated Method, Elizabeth Nethery, Gary Mallach, Daniel Rainham, Mark S. Goldberg, Amanda J. Wheeler

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Personal exposure studies of air pollution generally use self-reported diaries to capture individuals’ time-activity data. Enhancements in the accuracy, size, memory and battery life of personal Global Positioning Systems (GPS) units have allowed for higher resolution tracking of study participants’ locations. Improved time activity classifications combined with personal continuous air pollution sampling can improve assessments of location-related air pollution exposures for health studies. Methods: Data was collected using a GPS and personal temperature from 54 children with asthma living in Montreal, Canada, who participated in a 10-day personal air pollution exposure study. A method was developed that …