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With the objective of characterizing the composition and spatial distribution of plastic fragments in a subtropical lagoon system, five sample areas affected by various anthropogenic impacts were chosen in the southern part of the Estuarine Lagoon System in Laguna, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The total density of the floating meso- and microplastics encountered was 7.32/m3, with the greatest density in the access channel and external area of the lagoon. Plastic filament was the most abundant and mainly comprised polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) from 0.05 to 0.71 mm2. Fishing and urbanization were the main sources of the meso- and microplastics in the environment. This is the first study to evaluate contamination by meso- and microplastics in the southern part of the Estuarine Lagoon System and provides information about the nature and extent of contamination by plastics in this estuarine ecosystem. • Importance of investigating microplastics in transitional aquatic ecosystems • Poor management and educational level increase the marine pollution. • Hydrological and geomorphological processes influenced the transportation of MPs. • The plastic polymers found in the Santo Antônio dos Anjos lagoon were PE, PEsT and PP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pre-exposure prophylaxis is defined as the use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV acquisition in uninfected individuals. Recognizing the increasing use of informal pre-exposure prophylaxis in Portugal, CheckpointLX, a community clinic targeted to men who have sex with men in Lisbon, Portugal, began offering counselling and follow-up services prior to formal introduction. This study aims to characterize pre-exposure prophylaxis users attending CheckpointLX before formal pre-exposure prophylaxis introduction in Portugal, and those who were referred to pre-exposure prophylaxis in the National Health Service following formal approval of pre-exposure prophylaxis., Material and Methods: Data was collected by peer counsellors between May 2015 and September 2018 and inserted in a database. Medical care followed the European AIDS Clinical Society recommendations for pre-exposure prophylaxis eligibility, initiation and follow-up. For formal pre-exposure prophylaxis, the General-Directorate for Health's Pre-exposure Prophylaxis guidelines checklist was used., Results: Until the end of May 2018, CheckpointLX had a total of 90 appointments for wild pre-exposure prophylaxis, of which 64 (71%) were first time visits. As for the 380 service users referred to the National Health Service, most were Portuguese (n = 318, 84%), and the mean age was 31 (8.9) years old. Condomless sex in the last six months with partners of unknown HIV status was the most common eligibility criteria (n = 59, 83%)., Discussion: Pre-exposure prophylaxis delivery should be complemented with effective information on the importance of immunization and education on safer practices of drug administration, in the scope of broader preventive sexual health care., Conclusion: Much remains to be done in Portugal to ensure that pre-exposure prophylaxis is available to those who need it the most. Offering pre-exposure prophylaxis at community clinics could be a first step.