Search

The bioavailability of metals in soil is only partially explained by their partition among the solid and aqueous phase and is more related to the characterization of their speciation in the soil solution. The organic ligands in solution that largely determine metal speciation involve complex mixtures and the characterization of fluorescence components of dissolved organic matter (DOM) can identify pools of molecules that participate in metal speciation, this being essential for risk assessment. The bioavailability of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in three agricultural soils was examined in the laboratory to recreate irrigation with greywater enriched in anionic surfactants (Aerosol 22 and Biopower). Field capacity and saturation regimes were considered for this study. Irrigation with aqueous solutions of the anionic surfactants increased total DOM concentrations and metals in the soil solution (Pb > Cu > Zn > Cd). Significant correlation (p < 0.05) between the readily available pool of metals with the concentration of DOM was determined for Cu (r = 0.67), Pb (r = 0.82) and Zn (r = 0.68). However, speciation analysis performed with the software WHAM indicated that mobilisation of DOM and metals into the soluble phase resulted in a low concentration of free ion activities and promoted the formation of metal-organo complexes. The characterization of fluorescence components revealed that DOM in soil solution from soils irrigated with Aerosol 22 was enriched in a reduced quinone-like and a humic-like component. Besides, fluorescence quenching provided further evidence of metal complexation with organic ligands in solution. Hence, metal mobilization in soil irrigated with surfactant enriched greywater occurs with solubilisation of high affinity organic ligands, which substantially decreases the potential risk of metal toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cefiderocol is a new siderophore cephalosporin with potent in vitro activity against gram-negative bacilli including Enterobacterales that produce all kinds of carbapenemases and non-fermenting Gram-negative with difficult-to-treat resistance. As a β-lactam, its efficacy is optimized in extended-perfusion and requires dose adjustment in renal dysfunction and hyperclearance. Its efficacy has been validated in three clinical trials, one of them in the treatment of hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia. The clinical trial aimed at difficult-to-treat gram-negatives achieved the clinical and microbiological target, but the increase in mortality observed in the cefiderocol arm makes it necessary to demonstrate efficacy in real clinical practice. Cefiderocol is a good option among the new β-lactams for the treatment of pneumonia caused by Gram-negative bacilli carbapenem-resistant.

Background: Patient adherence to treatment in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is essential to optimize disease management. We aimed to assess the impact of patients' perception of their treatment and disease on adherence and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) in patients attending a community pharmacy, where usually subjects have a better condition than those in clinical settings., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 318 patients with COPD in treatment with inhalers in the last 3 months from 53 community pharmacies. We assessed HRQL with St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Persistence was assessed from the three previous refills and adherence through the Test of Adherence to Inhalers test., Results: Persistence was achieved by 78.6% of the patients and 58.5% had good adherence. Patients having a multidose DPI and those with MDI showed a 2.8-fold and 4.1-fold increased association, respectively, with intermediate/poor adherence in comparison with those having a single dose DPI. Those patients who did not have knowledge about COPD (aOR 2.106, p = 0.006) and those who thought that the inhaler effectiveness was fair/poor (aOR 2.361, p = 0.006) were more likely to have intermediate/poor adherence. Overall SGRQ score was significantly worse in patients with intermediate/poor adherence (p = 0.036) and in those who thought the inhaler's effectiveness was fair/poor (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: The type of inhaler and patients' knowledge and perceptions of their disease and treatment were associated with good adherence and higher HRQL. Clinicians should promote shared-decision making in the choice of inhaler depending on patients' individual abilities and beliefs., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A batch test was used to evaluate the extent of desorption of diazinon and dimethoate, preadsorbed on a calcareous agricultural soil, representative of the Mediterranean area. Urban wastewater from a secondary treatment and seven surfactant solutions, at concentrations ranging from 0.75 mg L(-1) to 10 gL(-1), were used. The surfactants assayed were cationic (hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HD)), anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Aerosol 22 (A22) and Biopower (BP)), and nonionic (Tween 80 (TW), Triton X 100 (TX) and Glucopon 600 (G600)). Desorption of dimethoate was either not affected or only slightly by the nonionic and anionic surfactants tested, while desorption of diazinon from the soil was only enhanced by A22, BP and TW. This desorption increase correlated significantly with the surfactant concentration of the solution used for desorption and with the concurrent increase in the supernatant of the dissolved organic carbon, in particular that originating from the surfactant. This parameter did not vary with the use of SDS, G600 and TX. The cationic surfactant HD was retained on the soil surface, as confirmed by an increase in soil organic carbon, resulting in a fall in desorption rate for both pesticides. Comparing treatment by wastewater with control water, there was no difference in desorption rate for either pesticide. Mixed TW/anionic surfactant solutions either did not modify or slightly increased desorption of both pesticides in comparison with individual surfactant solutions., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)