Assessment of the water quality in the coastal Yaqui valley (Mexico): Implications for human health and ecological risks.

This study examines the water quality in the Yaqui Valley in Mexico, a semi-arid region impacted by mining, agriculture, and aquaculture. Contamination sources, health risks and ecological impacts are investigated. Freshwater was found to be contaminated by dissolved As, presumed to result from mining activities in the mountains.

Marine sponges as a powerful tool for trace elements biomonitoring studies in coastal environment.

In this work, we performed a comparative study on six marine sponge species collected along the French Mediterranean and Irish coasts for their TEs accumulation. Intra and inter-species variabilities were examined. Among the Mediterranean species, Cymbaxinella damicornis accumulates significantly more As and Cu than others sponge species; Chondrilla nucula more Ni and Mo and Acanthella acuta more Ag.

Comparative study on the bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenic by some northeastern Atlantic and northwestern Mediterranean sponges.

The bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenic (As) were studied in six representative marine sponges from the French Mediterranean and Irish Atlantic coasts. Methodologies were carefully optimized in one of the species on Haliclona fulva sponges for two critical steps: the sample mineralization for total As analysis by ICP-MS and the extraction of As species for HPLC-ICP-MS analysis. During the optimization, extractions performed with 0.

Naturally dissolved arsenic concentrations in the Alpine/Mediterranean Var River watershed (France).

A detailed study on arsenic (As) in rocks and water from the Var River watershed was undertaken aiming at identifying (i) the origin and the distribution of As in this typical Alpine/Mediterranean basin, and (ii) As input into the Mediterranean Sea. Dissolved As concentrations in the Var River range from 0.1 to 4.

Non-invasive ventilation as primary ventilatory support for infants with severe bronchiolitis.

Objective: To report our experience of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) as primary ventilatory support strategy in infants admitted for severe bronchiolitis.

Design And Setting: Retrospective study in a paediatric intensive care unit of an university hospital.

Patients: Infants aged less than 12 months, admitted for bronchiolitis during 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 winter epidemics.

High-frequency archives of manganese inputs to coastal waters (Bay of Seine, France) resolved by the LA-ICP-MS analysis of calcitic growth layers along scallop shells (Pecten maximus).

During their growth, bivalves are recognized to archive minor and trace elements within their shells which may reflect environmental conditions at the sediment-water interface (SWI). Shells from juvenile Great Scallops (Pecten maximus (L.)), which develop a daily calcite growth layer, were collected in the Bay of Seine (France) and examined by matrix-matched LaserAblation ICP-MS analysis for Mn concentrations along their growth period, from April to October (year 2004).

Matrix-matched quantitative analysis of trace-elements in calcium carbonate shells by laser-ablation ICP-MS: application to the determination of daily scale profiles in scallop shell (Pecten maximus).

A micro-scale method has been developed for analysis of trace-element concentration profiles in the calcium carbonate shell of the Great Scallop (Pecten maximus). UV laser ablation at 266-nm coupled with ICP-MS detection was used to analyse daily calcite striae of shell samples to obtain high temporal resolution of trace element incorporation. Analysis of scallop shells was carefully examined to determine the quality of calcium carbonate ablation and calibration.

Development of an on-line UV decomposition system for direct coupling of liquid chromatography to atomic-fluorescence spectrometry for selenium speciation analysis.

Speciation analysis of four selenium species (selenite, selenate, selenocystine, and selenomethionine) has been performed by on-line coupling of liquid chromatography (LC), UV decomposition, hydride generation (HG), and atomic-fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). Because only selenite (Se(IV)) can generate hydrides, on-line conversion of organic and inorganic selenium species is discussed. Preliminary study showed that the use of only UV light was not sufficient to reduce selenate, because no absorption is observed for this compound at the main wavelength of the low-pressure mercury lamp (253.

[Bronchoscopy in childhood pulmonary tuberculosis].

Bronchoscopy can be helpful for microbiological diagnosis in children with primary tuberculosis and its yield is clearly enhanced by PCR detection. However,endoscopic sampling has a lower sensitivity rate than repeated gastric washings and probably sputum induction. Bronchoscopy is indicated in case of clinically and/or radiologically suspected endobronchial involvement, helps for restoration of normal airway diameter and bronchial wall injury follow-up.

Lymphocyte data in Epstein-Barr-virus induced post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder treated by rituximab.

Viral infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the post-allograft period. Recently, a new therapeutic approach was developed in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) induced by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV): the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody or rituximab. We performed a single-center study on the treatment effectiveness of rituximab in three EBV-induced PTLD and evaluated biologic data, such as T and B lymphocytes count, during PTLD development and treatment.