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Negative human actions on seagrasses affect habitat condition and its associated fauna. Epiphytic hydroid's assemblage response to seagrass condition, water quality, and human impacts was evaluated in two bays of the Sabana-Camagüey Ecosystem of Cuba, using the presence of contamination, causeways, and trawling fishing as impact level proxies to the seagrass meadows. Thirty-eight species composed the hydroid's assemblage including five new records. Symmetroscyphus intermedius was the most abundant species and sensitive to indicators of the seagrass condition. Dynamena disticha and Gastroblasta sp. were sensitive to water quality predictors. Obelia bidentata was exclusive to the most impacted sites. Species richness and abundance were low in impacted sites and were highly affected by fishing trawling and causeways construction. Salinity, depth, NO2, pH, SSV, macroalgae cover, shoot density, and wet weight of Thalassia testudinum were the best predictors for hydroid's assemblages. Results suggest epiphytic hydroids on tropical seagrass meadows as sentinel organisms. • Impacted tropical seagrass meadows in Sabana-Camagüey ecosystem affected hydroid assemblages. • Epiphytic hydroids on tropical seagrass are sentinels of multiple impacts. • Contamination, causeways, and trawling fishing affected hydroid assemblages. • Richness and abundance of epiphytic hydroids decreased in more impacted sites. • Shoot density and wet weight of T. testudinum were good predictors of hydroids assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic contamination is a major environmental concern in coastal regions, and it can be evaluated by the determination of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), faecal sterols and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs). The concentrations of these organic markers were obtained from nine surface sediment samples to evaluate a possible contamination near a fringing reef on the west coast of Havana, Cuba. The AH levels ranged from 1.24 to 135.6 μg g -1 , the PAH levels were up to 2133 ng g -1 , the faecal sterol levels ranged from 0.03 to 1.54 μg g -1 , and the total LAB levels were up to 22.7 ng g -1 . The highest concentrations were obtained at sites close to Havana Bay and at the sources of untreated sewage input. A decreasing concentration gradient was observed from Havana Bay to the outer sites. Although only two sites presented high levels of contamination, untreated sewage discharged close to the fringing reef may affect its environment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Smoking and alcohol use (beyond social norms) by health sciences students are behaviors contradictory to the social function they will perform as health promoters in their eventual professions., Objectives: Identify prevalence of tobacco and alcohol use in health sciences students in Mexico and Cuba, in order to support educational interventions to promote healthy lifestyles and development of professional competencies to help reduce the harmful impact of these legal drugs in both countries., Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using quantitative and qualitative techniques. Data were collected from health sciences students on a voluntary basis in both countries using the same anonymous self-administered questionnaire, followed by an in-depth interview., Results: Prevalence of tobacco use was 56.4% among Mexican students and 37% among Cuban. It was higher among men in both cases, but substantial levels were observed in women as well. The majority of both groups were regularly exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Prevalence of alcohol use was 76.9% in Mexican students, among whom 44.4% were classified as at-risk users. Prevalence of alcohol use in Cuban students was 74.1%, with 3.7% classified as at risk., Conclusions: The high prevalence of tobacco and alcohol use in these health sciences students is cause for concern, with consequences not only for their individual health, but also for their professional effectiveness in helping reduce these drugs' impact in both countries.