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As there is still little knowledge of interactions between microplastics (MP) and hydrophilic compounds, we propose ways the toxicity of hydrophilic pesticides can be modulated by MP, when sorption can be excluded. Larvae of Chironomus riparius were exposed to thiacloprid (TH, 1 µg/L) and polystyrene microplastic particles (PS

Tire and road wear particles (TRWP), which contribute significantly to microplastic emission, are receiving more attention, but details about particle composition, translocation from source to sink, and particularly the possible effects on ecosystems are largely unknown. We examined the influence of native TRWP-containing sediments from two settling ponds on the mortality and behavior of the aquatic larvae of Chironomus riparius. Both sediments, whether pure or mixed with different proportions of quartz sand and suspended in water, led to increased mortalities with increasing concentrations and were shown to be oxygen consuming. Artificial aeration significantly reduced larval mortality in both sediments. Chironomid larvae show high tolerance to anoxic and polluted environments due to physiological and behavioral adaptations, such as the construction of vertical sediment tubes (chimneys), in which they create oxic compartments. A significant correlation was found between the proportion of contaminated sediment and the number of chimneys: the more contaminated sediment, the fewer chimneys were constructed. The number of chimneys per surviving larva decreased with an increased proportion of contaminated sediment in parallel to increased larval mortality. We hypothesize that contents of these sediments negatively impact the larvae’s ability to survive at low oxygen concentrations due to impairments of essential behavioral and physiological processes.

Pharmaceuticals such as antidepressants are designed to be bioactive at low concentrations. According to their mode of action, they can also influence non-target organisms due to the phylogenetic conservation of molecular targets. In addition to the pollution by environmental chemicals, the topic of microplastics (MP) in the aquatic environment came into the focus of scientific and public interest. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of the antidepressant amitriptyline in the presence and absence of irregularly shaped polystyrene MP as well as the effects of MP alone on juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario). Fish were exposed to different concentrations of amitriptyline (nominal concentrations between 1 and 1000 µg/L) and two concentrations of MP (104 and 105 particles/L

The removal of film-like soils is a challenge in many fields of production for consumer goods. For ecological and economic reasons, these cleaning processes have to be optimized. A model for the prediction of the cleaning times of adhesively detaching soils is presented. It is formulated as a boundary condition for CFD simulations, which reduces the calculation effort significantly. Ketchup is used as a model soil to validate the model. The parameterization of the model is performed with bench scale experimental setups. The model is tested for cleaning processes in a turbulent channel flow. It is shown that it predicts the mean cleaning time for different mean bulk velocities and surface soil mass coverages well.

Pharmaceuticals such as antidepressants are designed to be bioactive at low concentrations. According to their mode of action, they can also influence non-target organisms due to the phylogenetic conservation of molecular targets. In addition to the pollution by environmental chemicals, the topic of microplastics (MP) in the aquatic environment came into the focus of scientific and public interest. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of the antidepressant amitriptyline in the presence and absence of irregularly shaped polystyrene MP as well as the effects of MP alone on juvenile brown trout (

Die vollstandige Resektion von Tumorgewebe und erfolgreiche Rekonstruktion der Kontinuitat des Magen-Darm-Trakts sind in der onkologischen Viszeralchirurgie von essenzieller Bedeutung fur das postoperative Outcome. Neuerungen und Weiterentwicklungen in der intraoperativen Bildgebung ermoglichen die Visualisierung zuvor nur schwer beurteilbarer Parameter, wie der Gewebeperfusion und der Lymphdrainagewege. Dies erlaubt eine direkte Optimierung des operativen Verfahrens und kann somit zur Reduktion von Komplikationen und zur Erhohung der Patientensicherheit beitragen. Eine bereits in vielen Fachgebieten etablierte Methode der Echtzeitbildgebung ist das Fluoreszenz-Imaging mittels Indozyaningrun (ICG-FI). In der Viszeralchirurgie wird es aktuell besonders zur Perfusionsbeurteilung gastrointestinaler Anastomosen und zum „Lymphknoten-Mapping“ eingesetzt. Jedoch werden in ersten Untersuchungen auch weitere mogliche Anwendungsgebiete beschrieben, beispielsweise die Detektion von Lebermetastasen und Peritonealkarzinosen im Rahmen von Staging-Untersuchungen oder der zytoreduktiven Chirurgie. Eine weitere vielversprechende Methode ist das Hyperspektral-Imaging (HSI), welches sich aktuell noch in einer experimentellen Phase befindet, zukunftig aber ein wichtiges Instrument zur noninvasiven Perfusionsbeurteilung und Gewebedifferenzierung darstellen konnte. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Uberblick uber die aktuellen Anwendungsgebiete neuer intraoperativer Imaging-Verfahren gegeben und auf neue Moglichkeiten und Perspektiven der modernen „image-guided surgery“ hingewiesen.

Purpose To evaluate the 3-dimensional (3D) zero echo time (ZTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique and compare it with 3D computed tomography (CT) for the assessment of the glenoid bone. Methods ZTE MRI using multiple resolutions and multislice CT were performed in 6 shoulder specimens before and after creation of glenoid defects and in 10 glenohumeral instability patients. Two musculoskeletal radiologists independently generated 3D volume-rendered images of the glenoid en face. Post-processing times and glenoid widths were measured. Inter-modality and inter-rater agreement was assessed. Results Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for inter-modality assessment showed almost perfect agreement for both readers, ranging from 0.949 to 0.991 for the ex vivo study and from 0.955 to 0.987 for the in vivo patients. Excellent interobserver agreement was found for both the ex vivo (ICCs ≥ 0.98) and in vivo (ICCs ≥ 0.92) studies. For the ex vivo study, Bland-Altman analyses for CT versus MRI showed a mean difference of 0.6 to 1 mm at 1.0-mm3 MRI resolution, 0.3 to 0.6 mm at 0.8-mm3 MRI resolution, and 0.3 to 0.6 mm at 0.6-mm3 MRI resolution for both readers. For the in vivo study, Bland-Altman analyses for CT versus MRI showed a mean difference of 0.6 to 0.8 mm at 1.0-mm3 MRI resolution, 0.5 to 0.6 mm at 0.8-mm3 MRI resolution, and 0.4 to 0.8 mm at 0.7-mm3 MRI resolution for both readers. Mean post-processing times to generate 3D images of the glenoid ranged from 32 to 46 seconds for CT and from 33 to 64 seconds for ZTE MRI. Conclusions Three-dimensional ZTE MRI can potentially be considered as a technique to determine glenoid width and can be readily incorporated into the clinical workflow. Level of Evidence Level II, development of diagnostic criteria (consecutive patients with consistently applied reference standard and blinding).

Theba pisana is a polymorphic land snail widely used in ecophysiological research on the biological significance of solar irradiation. We investigated whether, taking size into account, differently pigmented morphs of a Mediterranean population of T. pisana influence the snails’ heating under different wavelengths. We used a laboratory set-up comprising light-emitting diodes emitting visible light of defined wavelengths and quantified shell heating using high-resolution thermography. Shell pigmentation was quantified densitometrically. There were significant effects of both shell size and light wavelength, such that small snails heated more than large ones over 15 min, and blue light (470 nm) raised temperature more than green light (525 nm). Pigmentation alone did not show significance, but a trend towards higher temperature with increasing pigmentation was evident. Despite the observed significances and trends, we could only explain at most 4.67% of variation in shell heating by multiple regression modelling. However, the light intensity used in this experiment was low and the pigmentation intensity of the shells varied, at most, by a factor of 2. This suggests the actual temperature of a snail depends not only on the tested variables, but also on the multifactorial action of a number of unknown, perhaps intrinsic physiological parameters.

INTRODUCTION Three-dimensional (3-D) CT volumetric filling ratio (VFR) is a better predictor of proximal humerus stress shielding after short-stem anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) than using plain radiographs. METHODS Forty-four patients with short-stem aTSAs, preoperative CT scans, and a minimum 3-year radiographic follow-up were included. Patients were divided into group A (stress shielding) and group B (no stress shielding) based on the radiographic analysis. Standard implant filling ratios were measured on plain radiographs. The 3-D VFR of the metaphyseal and diaphyseal segments of the aTSA stem was measured using MIMICS (Materialise). The area under a receiver operator characteristic curve was used to determine the predictive strength of the 3-D VFR method. RESULTS The average age and radiographic follow-up was 69 years and 44 months. Group A had 19 patients and statistically higher filling ratios using 3-D VFR method than group B, whereas no notable differences were found between the groups using standard techniques. The 3-D VFR had an area under a receiver operator characteristic curve of 92%, which supports it as a good predictor of stress shielding. CONCLUSIONS These methods enable early identification of patients at risk for stress shielding and can also be valuable in improving humeral stem designs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III. Case-control study.

Coloration of animals is important for camouflage, for social behavior, or for physiological fitness. This study investigates the color variation in adults of

Background In Germany and the EU, most headwaters are still far from reaching a good chemical and ecological status as it is required by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), until 2027 the latest. Particularly, in densely populated areas, impacts from municipal and industrial wastewater discharges or diffuse agricultural emissions are still a matter of concern. This also applies to the Nidda River which is considered to be in a moderate to rather poor condition. In our study, we investigated short-term and long-term consequences of anthropogenic pollution on fish health via one monitoring with caged fish (CF) and two field sampling campaigns (FF). In the CF monitoring, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were caged for seven weeks at four selected sites along the Nidda, whereas in the FF monitoring approach, feral fish, including brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario), European chub (Leuciscus cephalus) and stone loach (Barbatula barbatula) were caught in June and September 2016. Results Histopathological analyses of liver and gills were conducted, accompanied by measurements of hepatic 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity to assess the cytochrome P450 (CYP1A1) function, and genotoxicity via the micronucleus assay. Caged as well as field-captured fish exhibited impaired health conditions showing lesions particularly in the liver, and a presumably overwhelmed CYP1A1 system, whereas genotoxicity was not induced. The variation between sampling sites and seasons was rather low, but two trends were recognisable: (a) liver condition was poorest around spawning season and (b) tissue integrity and EROD activity were most affected downstream of industrial dischargers. Furthermore, effects were species dependent: the generally highly sensitive S. trutta f. fario proved to be impacted most, whereas L. cephalus with its pelagic lifestyle was affected less than the benthic B. barbatula, indicating a relevant contamination of sediments. Conclusion Our results confirm the impaired ecological state of the Nidda and emphasise that a sustainable improvement of aquatic ecosystem health needs to include both water quality and sediment contamination to approach the ambitious WFD goal.

Additional file 2: Table S1. Qualitative assessment of liver samples as proportion of samples in percent that showed the respective effects. Assessed was only the occurrence of the listed endpoints not their severity. Table S2. Qualitative assessment of gill samples as proportion of samples in percent that showed the respective effects. Assessed was only the occurrence of the listed endpoints not their severity. Table S3. Physicochemical parameters measured at the four Nidda sampling sites and the hatchery at the time of sampling. Values in bold mark exceeding concentration limits for a good ecological condition according to the OGewV [15] and EU Directive 91/676/ EEC [101]. Table S4. Chemical analytics of Nidda water collected at sampling sites N1, N2, N3 and N6 during the entire sampling period; mean and median values are given as well as the lowest (min.) and highest (max.) concentration detected; exemplary subset of substances shown; na not available; < LOQ below limits of quantitation. Table S5. Chemical analytics of Nidda sediments from sampling sites N1, N2, N3 and N6 during the entire sampling period; mean and median values are given as well as the lowest (min.) and highest (max.) concentration detected; na not available; < LOQ below limits of quantitation. Table S6. Chemical analytics of fish muscle tissue from the caged (CF) and field-captured fish (FF); concentrations are given in ��g/kg and mg/kg [metal(loid)s], respectively, based on dry weight (dw); na not available; < LOQ below limits of quantitation. Table S7. Number of individuals of selected species frequently caught during the FF monitorings by electrofishing at the Nidda sampling sites N1���N6 in June and September 2016.

Environmental risk assessments of organic chemicals usually do not consider pH as a key factor. Hence, most substances are tested at a single pH only, which may underestimate the toxicity of ionisable substances with a pKa in the range of 4–10. Thus, the ability to consider the pH-dependent toxicity would be crucial for a more realistic assessment. Moreover, there is a tendency in acute toxicity tests to focus on mortality only, while little attention is paid to sublethal endpoints. We used Danio rerio embryos exposed to ten ionisable substances (the acids diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen and triclosan and the bases citalopram, fluoxetine, metoprolol, propranolol, tramadol and tetracaine) at four external pH levels, investigating the endpoints mortality (LC50) and heart rate (EC20). Dose-response curves were fitted with an ensemble-model to determine the true uncertainty and variation around the mean endpoints. The ensemble considers eight (heart rate) or twelve (mortality) individual models for binominal and Poisson distributed data, respectively, selected based on the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). In case of equally good models, the mean endpoint of all models in the ensemble was calculated, resulting in more robust ECx estimates with lower ‘standard errors’ as compared to randomly selected individual models. We detected a high correlation between mortality (LC50) at 96 hpf and reduced heart rate (EC20) at 48 hpf for all compounds and all external pH levels (r = 0.98). Moreover, the observed pH-dependent effects were strongly associated with log D and thus, likely driven by differences in uptake (toxicokinetic) rather than internal (toxicodynamic) processes. Prospectively, the a priori consideration of pH-dependent effects of ionisable substances might make testing at different pH levels redundant, while the endpoint of mortality might even be replaced by a reliable sublethal proxy that would reduce the exposure, accelerating the evaluation process.

Depression is a serious health issue and, being such, treatment for it has become a topic of increasing concern. Consequently, the prescription rates of antidepressants have increased by about 50% over the past decade. Among antidepressants, citalopram and venlafaxine are the most frequently prescribed in Germany. Due to the high consumption and low elimination rates of both antidepressants during wastewater purification, they are frequently found in surface waters, where they may pose a risk to the aquatic environment. For the present study, we conducted experiments with the big ramshorn snail, which we exposed to environmentally relevant and explicitly higher concentrations (1–1000 µg/L) of the antidepressants citalopram and venlafaxine. We investigated apical endpoints, such as weight, mortality, behavioural changes, B-esterase activity, Hsp70 stress protein level and superoxide dismutase activity, as well as the tissue integrity of the hepatopancreas in the exposed snails. Citalopram and venlafaxine had no effects on the B-esterase activity, Hsp70 level and superoxide dismutase activity. Citalopram exposure resulted in weight reduction and tissue reactions in the hepatopancreas of snails exposed to 1000 µg/L. In contrast, venlafaxine did not induce comparable effects, but impacted the behaviour (sole detachment) of snails exposed to 100 µg/L and 1000 µg/L of the antidepressant. These results revealed that venlafaxine can affect snails at concentrations 10 times lower than citalopram. For this, in 2020 venlafaxine was introduced in the “Surface Water Watch List”, a list of potential pollutants that should be carefully monitored in surface water by the EU Member States.

Terrestrial gastropods do not only inhabit humid and cool environments but also habitat in which hot and dry conditions prevail. Snail species that are able to cope with such climatic conditions are thus expected to having developed multifaceted strategies and mechanisms to ensure their survival and reproduction under heat and desiccation stress. This review paper aims to provide an integrative overview of the numerous adaptation strategies terrestrial snails have evolved to persist in hot and dry environments as well as their mutual interconnections and feedbacks, but also to outline research gaps and questions that remained unanswered. We extracted relevant information from more than 140 publications in order to show how biochemical, cellular, physiological, morphological, ecological, thermodynamic, and evolutionary parameters contribute to provide an overall picture of this classical example in stress ecology. These mechanisms range from behavioral and metabolic adaptations, including estivation, to the induction of chaperones and antioxidant enzymes, mucocyte and digestive gland cell responses and the modification and frequency of morphological features, particularly shell pigmentation. In this context, thermodynamic constraints call for processes of complex adaptation at varying levels of biological organization that are mutually interwoven. We were able to assemble extensive, mostly narrowly focused information from the literature into a web of network parameters, showing that future work on this subject requires multicausal thinking to account for the complexity of relationships involved in snails' adaptation to insolation, heat, and drought., Mechanisms of terrestrial snails to cope with radiation, heat, and drought range from behavioral and metabolic adaptations, including estivation, to the induction of chaperones and antioxidant enzymes, mucocyte and digestive gland cell responses and the modification and frequency of morphological features, particularly shell pigmentation. In this context, thermodynamic constraints call for processes of complex adaptation at varying levels of biological organization which are mutually interwoven. Future work on this subject therefore requires multicausal thinking to account for the high complexity of relationships.

Die Hyperspektralbildgebung („HyperSpectral Imaging“ [HSI]) erlaubt quantitative Gewebeanalysen uber die Limitationen des menschlichen Auges hinaus. Somit dient es als neues Diagnostikinstrument der optischen Eigenschaften verschiedener Gewebe. Im Gegensatz zu anderen intraoperativen bildgebenden Methoden ist HSI kontaktlos, nichtinvasiv und bedarf keiner Kontrastmittelapplikation. Die Messungen nehmen nur wenige Sekunden in Anspruch und storen somit die Operationsablaufe unwesentlich. Erste HSI-Anwendungen in der Viszeralchirurgie sind vielversprechend mit dem Potenzial optimierter Ergebnisse. Aktuelle Konzepte, Moglichkeiten und neue Perspektiven der HSI-Technologie sowie deren Limitationen werden in dieser Arbeit diskutiert.

This study evaluated the use of hyperspectral imaging for the determination of the resection margin during colorectal resections instead of clinical macroscopic assessment. The used hyperspectral camera is able to record light spectra from 500 to 1000 nm and provides information about physiologic parameters of the recorded tissue area intraoperatively (e.g., tissue oxygenation and perfusion). We performed an open-label, single-arm, and non-randomized intervention clinical trial to compare clinical assessment and hyperspectral measurement to define the resection margin in 24 patients before and after separation of the marginal artery over 15 min; HSI was performed each minute to assess the parameters mentioned above. The false color images calculated from the hyperspectral data visualized the margin of perfusion in 20 out of 24 patients precisely. In the other four patients, the perfusion difference could be displayed with additional evaluation software. In all cases, there was a deviation between the transection line planed by the surgeon and the border line visualized by HSI (median 1 mm; range − 13 to 13 mm). Tissue perfusion dropped up to 12% within the first 10 mm distal to the border line. Therefore, the resection area was corrected proximally in five cases due to HSI record. The biggest drop in perfusion took place in less than 2 min after devascularization. Determination of the resection margin by HSI provides the surgeon with an objective decision aid for assessment of the best possible perfusion and ideal anastomotic area in colorectal surgery.

Background How shoulder injuries treated before the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft affect the player's performance over their career is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether prior shoulder injuries were associated with a difference in the level of performance and advancement of MLB draftees. Methods Before entering the draft, 119 professional baseball players from 2004 to 2010 were treated for a shoulder injury (73% treated surgically) as an amateur. A 3:1 matched case-control was performed to players without prior shoulder injuries by age, position, round selected, and signing bonus. Follow-up data were collected in 2016, and professional advancement, disabled list time, and in-game performance statistics for pitchers were analyzed and compared. Results Players with a prior shoulder injury had a statistically higher chance to be assigned to the disabled list then controls (P = .03), but there was no difference in disabled list time or professional advancement. Pitchers with a prior shoulder injury pitched a statistically lower number of innings per game than controls (P = .04). All other in-game performance statistics were not statistically different. The type of treatment did not have any effect on future performance or advancement. Conclusions Professional baseball players treated for prior shoulder injuries at the amateur level were more likely to sustain future disability than their matched controls, but it did not affect professional advancement.

The current paper critically reviews the state-of-the-science on (1) microplastics (MP) types and particle concentrations in freshwater ecosystems, (2) MP and nanoplastics (NP) uptake and tissue translocation, (3) MP/NP-induced effects in freshwater organisms, and (4) capabilities of MP/NP to modulate the toxicity of environmental chemicals. The reviewed literature as well as new data on MP and NP concentrations in the river Elbe and on particle uptake into human cells indicate an environmental relevance of small particles in the low nano- and micrometer range higher than that of larger MP.

Background Due to the rising number of type 2 diabetes patients, the antidiabetic drug, metformin is currently among those pharmaceuticals with the highest consumption rates worldwide. Via sewage-treatment plants, metformin enters surface waters where it is frequently detected in low concentrations (µg/L). Since possible adverse effects of this substance in aquatic organisms have been insufficiently explored to date, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of metformin on health and development in brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) and its microbiome. Results Brown trout embryos were exposed to 0, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 µg/L metformin over a period from 48 days post fertilisation (dpf) until 8 weeks post-yolk sac consumption at 7 °C (156 dpf) and 11 °C (143 dpf). Chemical analyses in tissues of exposed fish showed the concentration-dependent presence of metformin in the larvae. Mortality, embryonic development, body length, liver tissue integrity, stress protein levels and swimming behaviour were not influenced. However, compared to the controls, the amount of hepatic glycogen was higher in larvae exposed to metformin, especially in fish exposed to the lowest metformin concentration of 1 µg/L, which is environmentally relevant. At higher metformin concentrations, the glycogen content in the liver showed a high variability, especially for larvae exposed to 1000 µg/L metformin. Furthermore, the body weight of fish exposed to 10 and 100 µg/L metformin at 7 °C and to 1 µg/L metformin at 11 °C was decreased compared with the respective controls. The results of the microbiome analyses indicated a shift in the bacteria distribution in fish exposed to 1 and 10 µg/L metformin at 7 °C and to 100 µg/L metformin at 11 °C, leading to an increase of Proteobacteria and a reduction of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. Conclusions Overall, weight reduction and the increased glycogen content belong to the described pharmaceutical effects of the drug in humans, but this study showed that they also occur in brown trout larvae. The impact of a shift in the intestinal microbiome caused by metformin on the immune system and vitality of the host organism should be the subject of further research before assessing the environmental relevance of the pharmaceutical. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12302-018-0179-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bonner Jahrbücher, Bd. 176 (1976): Bonner Jahrbücher

Bonner Jahrbücher, Bd. 155/156, 2.1955/1956: Bonner Jahrbücher

A hallmark in snails’ anatomy is the conspicuous crossing of the pleurovisceral nerve cords present in all but the most derived gastropod clades. This feature is called streptoneury and hitherto near-universally believed to derive from the process of torsion which is, ontogenetically, visible by a 180° rotation of the visceral sac relative to the cephalopodium, being also responsible for the formation of a cranially bent gut and the location of gills in a mantle cavity that opens to the anterior. However, the mechanical link between the ontogenetic rotation of the visceropallium and streptoneury has never been demonstrated directly. After suppressing ontogenetic torsion in the freshwater apple snail Marisa cornuarietis, we could show in a 3D reconstruction based on serial sectioning that the nervous system of the non-torted snail almost identically mirrored the classical organization of a normally developed individual and showed all features of streptoneury in this species. Furthermore, confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed the pleurovisceral cords not to be fully shaped after completion of ontogenetic torsion. We therefore conclude that, ontogenetically, and potentially also phylogenetically, torsion is not an implicit prerequisite for streptoneury, thereby fundamentally challenging a century-old ‘certainty’ in molluscan developmental biology and evolution.

H-R.K. and R.T. were gratefully hosted by INRA-PACA, Avignon, France, during the time of fieldwork in 2017. We gratefully acknowledge assistance in the field and with the open-top chamber experiments by Nik Triebskorn and Tim Triebskorn. The 35 field sites were sampled within the 2018 European Theba survey initiated by H-R.K and Thomas Knigge, Le Havre University, France. We also thank Menno Schilthuizen, Leiden University, the Netherlands, and another anonymous reviewer for constructive remarks on a previous manuscript version. Open access funding enabled and organized by ProjektDEAL., In terrestrial snails, thermal selection acts on shell coloration. However, the biological relevance of small differences in the intensity of shell pigmentation and the associated thermodynamic, physiological, and evolutionary consequences for snail diversity within the course of environmental warming are still insufficiently understood. To relate temperature‐driven internal heating, protein and membrane integrity impairment, escape behavior, place of residence selection, water loss, and mortality, we used experimentally warmed open‐top chambers and field observations with a total of >11,000 naturally or experimentally colored individuals of the highly polymorphic species Theba pisana (O.F. MÜLLER, 1774). We show that solar radiation in their natural Mediterranean habitat in Southern France poses intensifying thermal stress on increasingly pigmented snails that cannot be compensated for by behavioral responses. Individuals of all morphs acted neither jointly nor actively competed in climbing behavior, but acted similarly regardless of neighbor pigmentation intensity. Consequently, dark morphs progressively suffered from high internal temperatures, oxidative stress, and a breakdown of the chaperone system. Concomitant with increasing water loss, mortality increased with more intense pigmentation under simulated global warming conditions. In parallel with an increase in mean ambient temperature of 1.34°C over the past 30 years, the mortality rate of pigmented individuals in the field is, currently, about 50% higher than that of white morphs. A further increase of 1.12°C, as experimentally simulated in our study, would elevate this rate by another 26%. For 34 T. pisana populations from locations that are up to 2.7°C warmer than our experimental site, we show that both the frequency of pigmented morphs and overall pigmentation intensity decrease with an increase in average summer temperatures. We therefore predict a continuing strong decline in the frequency of pigmented morphs and a decrease in overall pigmentation intensity with ongoing global change in areas with strong solar radiation., ProjektDEAL

During the last decades, depression has been diagnosed in increasing numbers, accompanied by rising prescription rates of antidepressants. Concomitantly, these pharmaceuticals are frequently detected in surface waters. Serotonin and noradrenalin reuptake inhibitors such as venlafaxine form the second largest group of antidepressants worldwide, and venlafaxine is the second most prescribed antidepressant in Germany. As drug targets are evolutionary highly conserved, venlafaxine can potentially change not only behavior and related physiological processes in humans but also in non-target species, especially aquatic organisms. In order to test this hypothesis for fish, we exposed brown trout larvae and juveniles to venlafaxine at concentrations ranging from 1 to 1,000 μg/L. Larvae were exposed for 5 months from the eyed ova stage until 8 weeks post yolk-sac consumption at 7 and 11 °C. Juveniles were exposed for 4 weeks at 7 °C. Mortality, weight, length, behavior during exposure and behavior in a stressful environment were recorded in both experiments. For larvae, additionally, hatching rate and heart rate were analyzed. In juvenile fish, tissue cortisol levels were determined. Our results clearly showed, that brown trout, irrespective of their life stage, change their behavior when being exposed to venlafaxine: During exposure, venlafaxine at 7 °C caused larvae to sojourn in the upper part of the aquaria for a longer time, with a lowest observed effect concentration of 100 μg/L. In a stressful environment with limited space, fish exposed to ≥10 μg/L venlafaxine were less active than controls. Furthermore, venlafaxine reduced the growth of larvae (length at ≥10 μg/L, weight at 1 mg/L) and their survival after 5 months (at 1 mg/L). Hatching rate and heart rate of larvae as well as tissue cortisol concentration of juveniles were not affected by venlafaxine treatment.

The present work gives insight into the internal heat management of the respiratory system in the terrestrial snail Xeropicta derbentina, which has to cope with extreme climate conditions in its habitat. A realistic model of the lung´s vein system was constructed and the active diffusive surface of capillaries and main vein was calculated and confirmed by geometrical measurements. We here present a model that is able to validate the measured oxygen consumption by the use of the Colburn analogy between mass and momentum transfer. By combining basic diffusion laws with the momentum transfer, i.e. wall shear stress, at the inner wall of the lung capillaries and the main vein, the progression of the oxygen mass fraction in the hemolymph can be visualized.

Background: During the last decades, a worldwide increase in the number of cases of depression accompanied by rising prescription rates of antidepressants was recorded. In Germany, the two most prescribed antidepressants are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram and the serotonin and noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) venlafaxine, taking about 30 % of the market share. Both antidepressants are found frequently in surface waters and have the potential of adversely affecting aquatic organisms. Most studies dealing with antidepressants address apical endpoints and behaviour, however, only few studies investigate biochemical biomarkers and histopathological alterations. We conducted citalopram and venlafaxine exposure experiments with brown trout eggs in the eyed ova stage for five months, as well as with juvenile brown trout for four weeks. Exposure concentrations ranged from environmentally relevant 1 µg/L up to 1 mg/L. In this study, we investigated the effects of the antidepressants on b-esterase activity (neurotoxicity), stress protein level (proteotoxicity) and superoxide dismutase activity (oxidative stress). Additionally, we assessed the health status of the liver by means of histopathological analyses.Results: We were able to show that both antidepressants did neither induce proteotoxic nor neurotoxic effects in brown trout. But for the antidepressant venlafaxine, the biochemical biomarker for oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase activity) was significantly increased in larvae exposed to at least 10 µg/L venlafaxine at 7°C. With regard to liver histopathology, fish exposed to higher citalopram concentrations were in a worse health condition than control fish irrespective of their life stage. Also the energy storage of fish exposed to 1 mg/L citalopram was reduced. Conclusion: Thus, we here report citalopram-dependent histopathological alterations in brown trout liver, and the induction of oxidative stress by venlafaxine.

Whether microplastics themselves or their interactions with chemicals influence the health and development of aquatic organisms has become a matter of scientific discussion. In aquatic environments, several groups of chemicals are abundant in parallel to microplastics. The tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline is frequently prescribed, and residues of it are regularly found in surface waters. In the present study, the influence of irregularly shaped polystyrene microplastics (< 50 µm), amitriptyline, and their mixture on early life-stages of brown trout were investigated. In a first experiment, the impacts of 100, 104, and 105 particles/L were studied from the fertilization of eggs until one month after yolk-sac consumption. In a second experiment, eggs were exposed in eyed ova stages to 105, 106 particles/L, to amitriptyline (pulse-spiked, average 48 ± 33 µg/L) or to two mixtures for two months. Microplastics alone did neither influence the development of fish nor the oxidative stress level or the acetylcholinesterase activity. Solely, a slight effect on the resting behavior of fry exposed to 106 particles/L was observed. Amitriptyline exposure exerted a significant effect on development, caused elevated acetylcholinesterase activity and inhibition of two carboxylesterases. Most obvious was the severely altered swimming and resting behavior. However, effects of amitriptyline were not modulated by microplastics.

INTRODUCTION Three-dimensional (3-D) CT volumetric filling ratio (VFR) is a better predictor of proximal humerus stress shielding after short-stem anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) than using plain radiographs. METHODS Forty-four patients with short-stem aTSAs, preoperative CT scans, and a minimum 3-year radiographic follow-up were included. Patients were divided into group A (stress shielding) and group B (no stress shielding) based on the radiographic analysis. Standard implant filling ratios were measured on plain radiographs. The 3-D VFR of the metaphyseal and diaphyseal segments of the aTSA stem was measured using MIMICS (Materialise). The area under a receiver operator characteristic curve was used to determine the predictive strength of the 3-D VFR method. RESULTS The average age and radiographic follow-up was 69 years and 44 months. Group A had 19 patients and statistically higher filling ratios using 3-D VFR method than group B, whereas no notable differences were found between the groups using standard techniques. The 3-D VFR had an area under a receiver operator characteristic curve of 92%, which supports it as a good predictor of stress shielding. CONCLUSIONS These methods enable early identification of patients at risk for stress shielding and can also be valuable in improving humeral stem designs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III. Case-control study.

Background There has been a rising interest within the scientific community and the public about the environmental risk related to the abundance of microplastics in aquatic environments. Up to now, however, scientific knowledge in this context has been scarce and insufficient for a reliable risk assessment. To remedy this scarcity of data, we investigated possible adverse effects of polystyrene particles (10^4 particles/L) and the pesticide methiocarb (1 mg/L) in juvenile brow trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) both by themselves as well as in combination after a 96 h laboratory exposure. PS beads (density 1.05 g/mL) were cryogenically milled and fractionated resulting in irregular shaped particles (

Background Over the last two decades, there has been a constant increase in prescription rates of antidepressants. In parallel, neuroactive pharmaceuticals are making their way into aquatic environments at increasing concentrations. Among the antidepressants detected in the environment citalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, is one of the most commonly found. Given citalopram is specifically designed to alter mood and behaviour in humans, there is growing concern it can adversely affect the behaviour on non-target wildlife Methods In our study, brown trout were exposed to citalopram (nominal concentrations: 1, 10, 100, 1000 µg/L) in two different life stages. Larvae were exposed at 7 and 11 °C from the eyed ova stage until 8 weeks post yolk sac consumption, and juvenile brown trout were exposed for 4 weeks at 7 °C. At both stages we measured mortality, weight, length, tissue citalopram concentration, behaviour during exposure and behaviour in a stressfull environment. For brown trout larvae additionally hatching rate and heart rate, and for juvenile brown trout the tissue cortisol concentration were assessed. Results During the exposure, both larvae and juvenile fish exposed to the highest test concentration of citalopram (1 mg/L) had higher swimming activity and spent longer in the upper part of the aquaria compared to control fish, which is an indicator for decreased anxiety. Most probably due to the higher swimming activity during the exposure, the juveniles and larvae exposed to 1 mg/L citalopram showed decreased weight and length. Additionally, in a stressful artificial swimming measurement device, brown trout larvae displayed the anxiolytic effect of the antidepressant by reduced swimming activity during this stress situation, already at concentrations of 100 µg/L citalopram. Chemical analysis of the tissue revealed rising citalopram tissue concentrations with rising exposure concentrations. Tissue concentrations were 10 times higher in juvenile fish compared to brown trout larvae. Fish plasma concentrations were calculated, which exceeded human therapeutic levels for the highest exposure concentration, matching the behavioural results. Developmental parameters like hatching rate and heart rate, as well as mortality and tissue cortisol content were unaffected by the antidepressant. Overall, we could trace the pharmacological mode of action of the antidepressant citalopram in the non-target organism brown trout in two different life stages.

Additional file 1. Biochemical and cellular biomarkers in brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) in response to the antidepressants citalopram and venlafaxine.

Additional file 1. Additional figures and tables.

Objective To prospectively assess the construct and criterion validity of ClassIntra version 1.0, a newly developed classification for assessing intraoperative adverse events. Design International, multicentre cohort study. Setting 18 secondary and tertiary centres from 12 countries in Europe, Oceania, and North America. Participants The cohort study included a representative sample of 2520 patients in hospital having any type of surgery, followed up until discharge. A follow-up to assess mortality at 30 days was performed in 2372 patients (94%). A survey was sent to a representative sample of 163 surgeons and anaesthetists from participating centres. Main outcome measures Intraoperative complications were assessed according to ClassIntra. Postoperative complications were assessed daily until discharge from hospital with the Clavien-Dindo classification. The primary endpoint was construct validity by investigating the risk adjusted association between the most severe intraoperative and postoperative complications, measured in a multivariable hierarchical proportional odds model. For criterion validity, inter-rater reliability was evaluated in a survey of 10 fictitious case scenarios describing intraoperative complications. Results Of 2520 patients enrolled, 610 (24%) experienced at least one intraoperative adverse event and 838 (33%) at least one postoperative complication. Multivariable analysis showed a gradual increase in risk for a more severe postoperative complication with increasing grade of ClassIntra: ClassIntra grade I versus grade 0, odds ratio 0.99 (95% confidence interval 0.69 to 1.42); grade II versus grade 0, 1.39 (0.97 to 2.00); grade III versus grade 0, 2.62 (1.31 to 5.26); and grade IV versus grade 0, 3.81 (1.19 to 12.2). ClassIntra showed high criterion validity with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.76 (95% confidence interval 0.59 to 0.91) in the survey (response rate 83%). Conclusions ClassIntra is the first prospectively validated classification for assessing intraoperative adverse events in a standardised way, linking them to postoperative complications with the well established Clavien-Dindo classification. ClassIntra can be incorporated into routine practice in perioperative surgical safety checklists, or used as a monitoring and outcome reporting tool for different surgical disciplines. Future studies should investigate whether the tool is useful to stratify patients to the appropriate postoperative care, to enhance the quality of surgical interventions, and to improve long term outcomes of surgical patients. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03009929 .

Sclerotinia head rot (SHR), caused by the necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is one of the most devastating sunflower crop diseases. Despite its worldwide occurrence, the genetic determinants of plant resistance are still largely unknown. Here, we investigated the Sclerotinia-sunflower pathosystem by analysing temporal changes in gene expression in one susceptible and two tolerant inbred lines (IL) inoculated with the pathogen under field conditions. Differential expression analysis showed little overlapping among ILs, suggesting genotype-specific control of cell defense responses possibly related to differences in disease resistance strategies. Functional enrichment assessments yielded a similar pattern. However, all three ILs altered the expression of genes involved in the cellular redox state and cell wall remodeling, in agreement with current knowledge about the initiation of plant immune responses. Remarkably, the over-representation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) was another common feature among ILs. Our findings highlight the diversity of transcriptional responses to SHR within sunflower breeding lines and provide evidence of lncRNAs playing a significant role at early stages of defense.

Gedruckt erschienen im Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin, ISBN 978-3-7983-3162-4, Das interdisziplinäre Forschungsprojekt MiWa widmete sich grundlegenden Fragestellungen zur Analytik und Wirkung von Mikroplastik-Partikeln im Wasserkreislauf. Es wurden Methoden der Umweltprobennahme, der Probenaufbereitung und verschiedene Detektionsverfahren zur Charakterisierung und Quantifizierung von Mikroplastik intensiv untersucht, miteinander verglichen und weiterentwickelt. Öko- und humantoxikologische Untersuchungen dienten dem Zweck, die potenziell von Mikroplastik ausgehende Gefährdung für die aquatische Umwelt und den Menschen zu analysieren und zu bewerten. Eine Harmonisierung und Standardisierung von Methoden der Probennahme, Probenaufbereitung und Mikroplastik-Detektion sind trotz der erheblichen Fortschritte derzeit nur teilweise möglich. Die ökotoxikologischen Studien zeigen zwar die Aufnahme von Mikroplastik-Partikeln durch einige Organismen, jedoch konnte bisher keine schädigende Wirkung nachgewiesen werden. Dabei wurden für eine Auswahl aquatischer Modellspezies sowohl Szenarien direkter als auch indirekter Exposition innerhalb einer Nahrungskette betrachtet. Interaktionen mit menschlichen Modellzellen wurden bislang nur bei Mikroplastik-Partikeln mit Größen weit unterhalb von 1 µm (also Nanoplastik) beobachtet. Eine umfassende Bewertung ist bislang nicht möglich., The interdisciplinary research project MiWa focused on principle knowledge gaps of analytical detection and effects of microplastic in fresh water cycles. Methods for environmental sampling, sample preparation and different analytical identification and quantification were intensively investigated, compared and further developed. Toxicological studies were conducted to assess potential risks of microplastic particles towards the environment and human health. Harmonization and standardization are still only partially possible despite various improvements. The eco-toxicological experiments confirmed the intake of microplastic particles by different organisms but no hazardous effects could be found. Both direct ingestions and indirect exposition within food webs were tested. Interactions with exemplary human cells were only observed for particle sizes far below 1 µm (thus nanoplastic). An assessment is currently only possible to a limited extent.

Gedruckt erschienen im Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin, ISBN 978-3-7983-3162-4 Das interdisziplinäre Forschungsprojekt MiWa widmete sich grundlegenden Fragestellungen zur Analytik und Wirkung von Mikroplastik-Partikeln im Wasserkreislauf. Es wurden Methoden der Umweltprobennahme, der Probenaufbereitung und verschiedene Detektionsverfahren zur Charakterisierung und Quantifizierung von Mikroplastik intensiv untersucht, miteinander verglichen und weiterentwickelt. Öko- und humantoxikologische Untersuchungen dienten dem Zweck, die potenziell von Mikroplastik ausgehende Gefährdung für die aquatische Umwelt und den Menschen zu analysieren und zu bewerten. Eine Harmonisierung und Standardisierung von Methoden der Probennahme, Probenaufbereitung und Mikroplastik-Detektion sind trotz der erheblichen Fortschritte derzeit nur teilweise möglich. Die ökotoxikologischen Studien zeigen zwar die Aufnahme von Mikroplastik-Partikeln durch einige Organismen, jedoch konnte bisher keine schädigende Wirkung nachgewiesen werden. Dabei wurden für eine Auswahl aquatischer Modellspezies sowohl Szenarien direkter als auch indirekter Exposition innerhalb einer Nahrungskette betrachtet. Interaktionen mit menschlichen Modellzellen wurden bislang nur bei Mikroplastik-Partikeln mit Größen weit unterhalb von 1 µm (also Nanoplastik) beobachtet. Eine umfassende Bewertung ist bislang nicht möglich. The interdisciplinary research project MiWa focused on principle knowledge gaps of analytical detection and effects of microplastic in fresh water cycles. Methods for environmental sampling, sample preparation and different analytical identification and quantification were intensively investigated, compared and further developed. Toxicological studies were conducted to assess potential risks of microplastic particles towards the environment and human health. Harmonization and standardization are still only partially possible despite various improvements. The eco-toxicological experiments confirmed the intake of microplastic particles by different organisms but no hazardous effects could be found. Both direct ingestions and indirect exposition within food webs were tested. Interactions with exemplary human cells were only observed for particle sizes far below 1 µm (thus nanoplastic). An assessment is currently only possible to a limited extent.

Introduction Airway management in severely obese patients remains a challenging issue for anaesthetists and may lead to life-threatening situations. Supraglottic airway devices, such as the i-gel™ or the AuraGain™, were developed, with the possibility to ventilate the patient or use them as a conduit for endotracheal intubation. Methods In our randomized prospective trial, we hypothesized a 10 seconds faster fiberoptic trans-device intubation time through the AuraGain™ laryngeal mask compared to the i-gel™ laryngeal mask in severely obese patients. We randomly assigned 44 patients to the AuraGain or i-gel group and measured trans-device intubation time after 5 minutes of successful ventilation through the device. Secondary parameters relating to the trans-device intubation success, oropharyngeal leak pressure, and parameters regarding insertion of the supraglottic airway devices were measured. Postoperative airway morbidity was determined 5 hours after surgery. Results Mean (SD) intubation time was 55.7 (5.8) seconds for the AuraGain™ vs 54.1 (8.5) for i-gel™ mask (95% CI -2.7 to 5.9; P = 0.474), respectively, on a mean body mass index (BMI) of 39.4 kg/m2 in the AuraGain™ group vs 38.9 kg/m2 in i-gel™ group. No difference could be found in the other studied parameters. Conclusions Time for intubation through both supraglottic airway devices was similar. Attributed to fast possibility of securing the airway with both supraglottic airway devices, we believe that both, AuraGain™ and i-gel™, can be a good alternative in the airway management in obese patients.

Background In situ exposure of rainbow trout up- and downstream of differently equipped wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and subsequent analyses of micronuclei frequencies and hepatic EROD activities were used to evaluate the impact of the effluents on fish health. Two of the facilities (WWTPs A and B) were conventional treatment plants. WWTP C has been equipped with a powdered activated carbon stage. Here, analyses were conducted prior and subsequent to this upgrade. Results Differences did not only occur when comparing conventional (WWTPs A, B and C prior to the upgrade) and advanced treatment (WWTP C after the upgrade), but also between the conventionally equipped WWTPs. There was no indication for genotoxic effects or pollution-related EROD induction in fish exposed at WWTP A. In contrast, trout exposed at WWTP B expressed strong reactions. However, here, adverse reactions were also observed in fish kept upstream. Similar observations were made for EROD activities in fish exposed at WWTP C prior to the upgrade, whereas genotoxic effects could only be seen in trout kept downstream of this effluent. Upgrading of WWTP C resulted in a significant reduction of both genotoxic effects and EROD levels. Conclusions The results show financial investments in advanced wastewater treatment to be beneficial for aquatic ecosystems, especially when conventional technologies do not sufficiently remove pollutants. Yet, negative impacts of effluents on aquatic organisms can, under certain conditions, also be avoided by conventional treatment. Therefore, we recommend deciding on the necessity and the type of WWTP upgrading on a case-by-case basis.

Background Although the crucial importance of sediments in aquatic systems is well-known, sediments are often neglected as a factor in the evaluation of water quality assessment. To support and extend previous work in that field, this study was conducted to assess the impact of surface water and sediment on fish embryos in the case of a highly anthropogenically influenced river catchment in Central Hesse, Germany. Results The results of 96 h post fertilisation fish embryo toxicity test with Danio rerio (according to OECD Guideline 236) revealed that river samples comprising both water and sediment exert pivotal effects in embryos, whereas surface water alone did not. The most prominent reactions were developmental delays and, to some extent, malformations of embryos. Developmental delays occurred at rates up to 100% in single runs. Malformation rates ranged mainly below 10% and never exceeded 25%. Conclusion A clear relationship between anthropogenic point sources and detected effects could not be established. However, the study illustrates the critical condition of the entire river system with respect to embryotoxic potentials present even at the most upstream test sites. In addition, the study stresses the necessity to take into account sediments for the evaluation of ecosystem health in industrialised areas.

Anastomoseninsuffizienzen (AIs) sind die schwerwiegendsten Komplikationen in der gastrointestinalen Chirurgie mit assoziierter Verlangerung des stationaren Aufenthalts und signifikanter Mortalitat. Hyperspektralbildgebung („hyperspectral imaging“, HSI) ist ein relativ neues Bildgebungsverfahren, das fur die Erkennung von Strukturen und fur die Auswertung der Gewebedurchblutung, -oxygenierung sowie dessen Wasserhaushalts in der Wundtherapie vielversprechende Ergebnisse gezeigt hat. Zur In-vivo-Beurteilung gastrointestinaler Anastomosen liegen allerdings bisher noch keine Daten vor. Es wurde die intraoperative HS-Bildgebung mit dem TIVITA™ Tissue-Kamerasystem der Firma Diaspective Vision GmbH (Pepelow, Deutschland) angewandt. Bei 47 Patienten mit gastrointestinalen (GI) Anastomosen an Osophagus, Magen, Pankreas, Dunn- und Dickdarm sowie Rektum wurden 97 auswertbare Aufnahmen generiert. Es wurden an den Anastomosen die Parameter Gewebeoxygenierung („tissue O2 saturation“, StO2), Gewebe-Hamoglobin-Index („tissue hemoglobin index“, THI), Nahinfrarot-Perfusions-Index („near-infrared[NIR] perfusion index“) und Gewebe-Wasser-Index („tissue water index“, TWI) erhoben. Die Anwendung der nichtinvasiven HSI war bei allen Anastomosierungen technisch gut praktikabel mit robusten Ergebnissen. Dabei fand sich ein NIR-Gradient langs und quer entlang der Anastomose. Auch die Gewebewasserverteilung und -oxygenierung zeigten spezifische Verlaufe rund um die Anastomosenregion. HSI bietet als kontaktfreie, nichtinvasive und kontrastmittellose intraoperative Bildgebungsmethode eine objektive Real-time-Messung physiologischer Anastomosenparameter, die moglicherweise dazu beitragen kann, die „ideale“ Anastomosenregion/-hohe zu determinieren. Hierzu ist eine weitere Etablierung der Methodik in der Viszeralchirurgie mit Generierung von Norm- bzw. Cut-off-Werten fur die unterschiedlichen intestinalen Anastomosenarten erforderlich.

To utilize the 3D inversion recovery prepared ultrashort echo time with cones readout (IR-UTE-Cones) MRI technique for direct imaging of lamellar bone with comparison to the gold standard of computed tomography (CT). CT and MRI was performed on 11 shoulder specimens and three patients. Five specimens had imaging performed before and after glenoid fracture (osteotomy). 2D and 3D volume-rendered CT images were reconstructed and conventional T1-weighted and 3D IR-UTE-Cones MRI techniques were performed. Glenoid widths and defects were independently measured by two readers using the circle method. Measurements were compared with those made from 3D CT datasets. Paired-sample Student’s t tests and intraclass correlation coefficients were performed. In addition, 2D CT and 3D IR-UTE-Cones MRI datasets were linearly registered, digitally overlaid, and compared in consensus by these two readers. Compared with the reference standard (3D CT), glenoid bone diameter measurements made on 2D CT and 3D IR-UTE-Cones were not significantly different for either reader, whereas T1-weighted images underestimated the diameter (mean difference of 0.18 cm, p = 0.003 and 0.16 cm, p = 0.022 for readers 1 and 2, respectively). However, mean margin of error for measuring glenoid bone loss was small for all modalities (range, 1.46–3.92%). All measured ICCs were near perfect. Digitally registered 2D CT and 3D IR-UTE-Cones MRI datasets yielded essentially perfect congruity between the two modalities. The 3D IR-UTE-Cones MRI technique selectively visualizes lamellar bone, produces similar contrast to 2D CT imaging, and compares favorably to measurements made using 2D and 3D CT.

The NSAID diclofenac is controversially discussed with respect to its environmental relevance. Since further information is need to assess whether diclofenac should be included as substance of priority in the EU water framework directive, we investigated the impact of this analgesic on the embryonic development of brown trout ( Salmo trutta f. fario ) from fertilized egg until the end of sac-fry stage and studied effects in juvenile fish six months post hatch. Embryos were exposed to five test concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1, 10, 100 μg/L) over 127 days at 7 °C. None of the treatments affected mortality, hatching, development or heart rate. Six months old juveniles exposed to five concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, 100, 200 μg/L) over 25 days at 7 °C, however, showed increased mortality, reaching significance at 100 μg/L. Furthermore, a significantly higher proportion of juvenile animals bore injuries at concentrations higher 10 μg/L. Neither the levels of the stress protein Hsp70, nor the amount of lipid peroxides was affected by any of the treatments. Histological analyses of gill, liver and kidney revealed visible tissue reactions in fish from all experimental groups. Histological responses in livers of diclofenac-exposed fish outstripped the status of laboratory control fish, particularly when exposed to the two highest concentrations. Chemical analyses of fish muscle tissue revealed concentration-dependent uptake of DCF into the animal, but no relevant bioconcentration. Our study supports earlier findings indicating a lower sensitivity of trout early life stages compared to older individuals, suggesting that studies for risk assessment of diclofenac should predominantly focus on later life stages. Furthermore, fish mortality was found to increase with rising diclofenac concentrations, and the lowest observed effect concentration of 10 μg/L on the organismic level emphasises the classification of diclofenac as a micropollutant that requires close attention.