Importance of arsenic bioaccessibility in health risk assessment based on iron "Minette" rocks and related soils.

Total element concentrations by themselves are not always good predictors of toxicity and are therefore not suitable for eco- and/or human toxicological risk determination. In addition, despite the growing call for harmonization, countries show significant variation in risk assessment tools, screening/background values, protocols and legal management of soils. By incorporating mobility and bioaccessibility/availability into soil risk assessments, location-specific physico-chemical and geological conditions can be considered in routinely applied general risk assessment methodologies.

Arsenic anomalies in soils and rocks occurring in the southwestern part of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Developing legislation on soil protection, including soil quality standards, is not straightforward for areas with high geogenic metal(loid) concentrations in rocks and soils. Several rock types in southern Luxembourg (laterally continuous into Northern France and Southern Belgium) contain elevated potentially toxic element concentrations. Toarcian and Aalenian Minette ironstones, and soils on top, possess high As concentrations (average of ~100 mg/kg, maximum up to 278 mg/kg).

High geogenic arsenic concentrations in travertines and their spring waters: Assessment of the leachability and estimation of ecological and health risks.

Travertines and their springs are rarely investigated as a source of toxicity. Remarkably high contents of As (up to 10 g/kg) have been found in travertine deposits and associated spring waters, nearby Ghorveh city (western Iran). Two types of travertines were distinguished: (i) Fissure ridge travertines, in areas with a carbonate-dominated basement, are characterized by a relatively low content and leaching of As.

The HelpED study: agreement and impact of the erection hardness score on sexual function and psychosocial outcomes in men with erectile dysfunction and their partners.

Introduction: The HelpED study assessed men with erectile dysfunction (ED) treated with a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor and their female partner in a community setting.

Aim: To examine agreement in Erection Hardness Score (EHS) in patients and partners; to assess impact of EHS changes on other sexual health outcomes and behaviors.

Methods: At baseline and follow-up 2 to 4 months later, men in a stable heterosexual relationship who had newly diagnosed or untreated ED (≥6 months) completed the single-item EHS, the International Index of Erectile Function questions 4 and 5 (assessing erection maintenance), the Self-Esteem And Relationship (SEAR) questionnaire, and a modified Quality of Life domain of the Sexual Life Quality Questionnaire (mSLQQ-QOL).