Optimization of a modified Captiva EMR-lipid method based on micro-matrix solid-phase dispersion coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of nine bisphenols in mussel samples.

This work describes a reliable, cheap, easy and fast method for analysis of nine bisphenols in mussel samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after trimethylsilylation. The modified method consisted of miniaturized matrix solid phase dispersion (micro-MSPD) in a glass Pasteur pipette using Captiva EMR (enhanced matrix removal)-lipid as the sorbent. Good linearity was obtained in the work range (1-500 μg L) with a correlation coefficient () ≥ 0.

Spatial distribution and source identification of phthalates and organochlorine compounds in Galician mussels (NW Spain).

The spatial distribution of five phthalate esters (PAEs) and 17 organochlorine compounds (OCs) in wild and raft mussels from Galician littoral collected in 2020, and its relationship with anthropogenic activities was studied in this work. The Rías de Foz and Muros-Noia were the most polluted by PAEs, while the Rías de Ferrol and Barqueiro by PCBs. The highest levels of all contaminants were present in wild mussel, except DEHP that were predominant in raft mussel.

Occurrence of persistent and mobile chemicals and other contaminants of emerging concern in Spanish and Portuguese wastewater treatment plants, transnational river basins and coastal water.

This work investigated, during one year, the occurrence and fate of 52 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in transnational river basins and coastal areas of the North of Portugal and Galicia (NW Spain) and the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) discharging on these environments. The different CECs investigated included pharmaceuticals, personal care products, industrial chemicals, among others, of which ca. 90 % would fulfill the persistence, mobility and toxicity criteria proposed by the German Environmental Agency.

Optimization of micro-QuEChERS extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the fast determination of phthalic acid esters in mussel samples.

In this study, a new miniaturized version of the analytical method based on the Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) technique using Florisil in the cleanup step for extracting six phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in mussel samples was developed by using a design of experiments. For this purpose, 1.5 mL of ultrapure water and later, 1.

Complete response to pembrolizumab as a single agent in a patient with stage III NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression: a case report.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 75-80% of all lung cancer cases. Stage III NSCLC represents a highly heterogenous stage characterized by different disease presentations and a wide range of treatment options. For patients with good performance status and unresectable-stage III NSCLC with programmed death-ligands 1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥1%, durvalumab consolidation immunotherapy after a platinum-based chemo-radiotherapy is strongly recommended.

Prediction of Micellar Thermodynamics of Nonionic Surfactants Based on the Square Gradient Theory.

A geometry-dependent contribution based on the square gradient theory of van der Waals is proposed as a predictive modification of the interfacial energy contribution for the micellar thermodynamic theory. The model has an analytic prediction for the spherical and cylindrical geometries. For ellipsoidal geometry, a simple yet physically meaningful approximation is proposed.

Screening of Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Surface Water and Wastewater Effluents, Assisted by the Persistency-Mobility-Toxicity Criteria.

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are compounds of diverse origins that have not been deeply studied in the past which are now accruing growing environmental interest. The NOR-Water project aimed to identify the main CECs and their sources in the water environment of Northern Portugal-Galicia (located in northwest Spain) transnational region. To achieve these goals, a suspect screening analytical methodology based on the use of liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was applied to 29 sampling sites in two campaigns.

Hair cortisol reduction and social integration enhancement after a mindfulness-based intervention in children.

Background: Over recent decades, chronic stress at an early age has become a worrying health problem in children. We seek to evaluate an intervention involving mindfulness-based practices and prosocial activities in 7- to 8-year-old children.

Methods: Stress levels were determined using hair cortisol concentration (HCC), and social integration was measured by means of a sociogram.

Development and application of an in-house library and workflow for gas chromatography-electron ionization-accurate-mass/high-resolution mass spectrometry screening of environmental samples.

This work presents an optimized gas chromatography-electron ionization-high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-EI-HRMS) screening method. Different method parameters affecting data processing with the Agilent Unknowns Analysis SureMass deconvolution software were optimized in order to achieve the best compromise between false positives and false negatives. To this end, an accurate-mass library of 26 model compounds was created.

Combination of different chromatographic and sampling modes for high-resolution mass spectrometric screening of organic microcontaminants in water.

This study explores the combination of two sampling strategies (polar organic compounds integrative sampler (POCIS) vs. spot sampling) and four chromatographic retention modes (reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), mixed-mode liquid chromatography (MMLC) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC)) for high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) screening of organic pollutants in water samples. To this end, a suspect screening approach, using iterative data-dependent tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) driven by a library of 3227 chemicals (including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, drugs of abuse, human metabolites, industrial chemicals and other pollutants), was employed.

A School Intervention Helps Decrease Daily Stress While Enhancing Social Integration in Children.

Stress coping is highly relevant during childhood. This study analyses how the participation in a behavioral intervention involving mindfulness-based practices and empathic collaboration activities impact on diurnal cortisol rhythm and social integration in children. In both experimental and waitlist groups, we evaluated before and after the intervention: daily stress, by sampling salivary cortisol at three measurement time-points, and social integration, assessed by a social preference index.

Legacy and emerging pollutants in marine bivalves from the Galician coast (NW Spain).

The presence of pollutants in estuary and oceanic systems is a global problem and a serious concern to human and environmental health. Usually, environmental monitoring studies consider classical persistent organic pollutants (POPs). However, the lists of POPs keep continuously growing and new POPs and other emerging pollutants should be considered in new monitoring programs.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-P-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBS) in bivalve mollusk from Galician Rías (N. W., SPAIN).

The concentrations of PCDD/Fs (2,3,7,8-chlorosubstituted) and three dioxin-like PCBs (PCB 77, PCB 126 and PCB169) were analyzed in bivalve mollusk collected in several Galician Rías between 2006 and 2014. Levels of Total PCDD/Fs ranged from 0.03 to 0.

Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) in raft mussels coming from Galician rías.

This survey gives an overview of the range of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) α and γ-HCH (lindane), HCB, pp´-DDE, pp´-DDD, op´-DDT, pp´-DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, isodrin and trans-nonachlor in raft mussels cultivated in several polygons of the Galician Rías (Ares-Betanzos, Muros-Noia, Arousa, Pontevedra and Vigo) during the period 1998-2014. A significant number of OCPs were detected, but the levels found were generally low, mainly in the recent samplings (2010-2014). The levels of ∑DDs (sum of DDTs and its metabolites, pp´-DDE and pp´-DDD) ranged between 0.

Embodied Action Improves Cognition in Children: Evidence from a Study Based on Piagetian Conservation Tasks.

Converging evidence highlights the relevance of embodied cognition in learning processes. In this study we evaluate whether embodied action (enaction) improves cognitive understanding in children. Using the Piagetian conservation tasks in 6-7 year olds, we analyzed quantity conservation conceptualization in children who were active participants in the transformation process and compared these results to those of children who were mere observers of an adult's demonstration (as traditionally conducted).

Levels of PCBs in Oysters Coming from Galicia Coast: Comparison to Mussels from the Same Region.

PCBs were analyzed in two species of oyster (Crassostrea gigas and Ostrea edulis) cultured in intertidal beds and rafts coming from the Galician Rías during the period 2011-2014. PCBs were also analyzed in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected in the same Rías during 2011. The main objective of this work is to investigate the distribution of PCBs in Galician oysters and to study their suitability as bioindicator in comparison to mussels.

Geographical distribution and time trends of polychlorinated biphenyls in raft mussel from Galician coast (1998-2013).

PCBs were analyzed in raft mussels cultured in several polygons from Galician Rías (Rías of Ares-Betanzos, Muros-Noia, Arousa, Pontevedra and Vigo) during the period 1998-2013. The main aim of this work is study the quality of culture marine environment in relation to PCBs compounds. We report the results of a monitoring.

Stress management in children: a pilot study in 7 to 9 year olds.

Objective: At present, school-age children suffer high levels of chronic stress that could produce potentially long-lasting effects. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of mind-body integration practices and cooperative activities on stress levels and social interaction in 7- to 9-year-old children.

Methods: We performed an intervention program once a week during 2 months in which children performed mind-body integration practices and cooperative activities.

Distribution and trend of organochlorine pesticides in Galicia coast using mussels as bioindicator organisms. Possible relationship to biological parameters.

Contamination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) such as DDT and its metabolites (ΣDDs), γ-HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane), HCB (hexachlorobenzene), aldrin, endrin, isodrin and trans-nonachlor were investigated in wild mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected from Galician Rías (Rías of Ferrol, A Coruña, Muros, Arousa, Pontevedra and Vigo) during the period 1998-2012. Biological parameters, lipid content, shell length and condition index, were also studied. The OCPs levels in the wild mussel were in the order ΣDDs>γ-HCH>HCB.

Distribution and spatial trends of PCBs in commercial scallops from Galician littoral (NW, Spain). Possible influence of biometric parameters.

Unlabelled: Levels and profiles of 10 individual congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were studied in 3 species of commercial scallops (Pecten maximus, Chlamys varia, and Chlamys opercularis) from several Rías in Galician littoral (NW, Spain). ΣPCBs levels ranged from 2.21 to 41.

Organochlorine pesticide levels in Ensis siliqua (Linnaeus, 1758) from Ría de Vigo, Galicia (N.W. Spain): influence of season, condition index and lipid content.

Levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including ΣDDTs, γ-HCH, HCB, aldrin, isodrin, trans-nonachlor, heptachlor and dieldrin, were determined in the razor clam, Ensis siliqua, collected monthly from February 2003 to April 2004 from the Islas Cíes in Ría de Vigo (Galicia, Spain). The sum of DDTs ranged from 2.17 to 26.

Spatial and temporal trends of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in mussel from Galician coast (1998-2008).

PCBs were determined in wild mussel samples collected in several points from Galician Rías (Rías de Ferrol, A Coruña, Muros, Vigo and Arousa), Spain, during the period 1998-2008. The concentration levels of ΣPCBs ranged from 0.62 to 107.

Design of a field flow preconcentration system for cadmium determination in seawater by flow-injection-atomic absorption spectrometry.

A field flow preconcentration system (FFPS) for cadmium determination in seawater is described. Seawater samples are collected and preconcentrated in situ by passing them with a peristaltic pump through a minicolumn packed with Amberlite XAD-4 impregnated with the complexing agent 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol. Thus, cadmium is complexed, retained, and preconcentrated without the interference of the saline matrix.

Spatial and temporal trends of PCDDs and PCDFs in bivalve mollusc coming from Galicia (2000-2005). Possible relationship between biometric parameters and PCDDs and PCDFs levels.

Levels and specific profiles of PCDD/F congeners were determined in bivalve mollusc coming from several Rías (estuarine bays) in Galicia (Spanish northwest Atlantic coast). Three species of bivalve mollusc, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Cerstoderma edulis and Ostrea edulis, from several points of littoral collected in the period from 2000 to 2005 were analysed. WHO-TEQ concentrations ranged from 0.

Assisted solvent extraction and ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in mussels. Comparison with other extraction techniques.

A selective and sensitive analytical method for determination of ten congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs 31, 28, 52, 101, 118, 153, 105, 138, 156, and 180) in mussel samples (Mytilus galloprovincialis) based on accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS) is presented in this work. Extraction conditions were optimised using a Plackett-Burman factorial design. The final extracts were analysed after cleanup on alumina columns.