Occurrence and patterns of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in bones of white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) using target, suspect, and non-target screening.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread, resistant to degradation, and bioaccumulative in food webs, raising environmental concerns due to their toxic effects. This growing concern highlights the need for effective biomonitoring for PFAS contamination, including exploration of complementary matrices, to enable long-term retrospective analyses. This study aimed to demonstrate the potential usefulness of white-beaked dolphin bones from 32 individuals stranded along the Danish coasts during the period 1981-2019 in assessing PFAS pollution in marine environments, employing target analysis and non-target screening approaches.

Occurrence of short- and ultra-short chain PFAS in drinking water from Flanders (Belgium) and implications for human exposure.

SHORT: and ultra-short chain perfluoroalkyl substances (S- and US-PFAS) are alternatives for the long-chain PFAS which have been more regulated over time. They are highly mobile in the environment and can easily reach drinking water sources which can become an important human exposure route. Furthermore, there have been growing concerns about the presence of PFAS in Flanders.

Retromode Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy for Choroidal Nevi: A Preliminary Study.

The purpose of the present study was to document pathological findings on retromode imaging in choroidal nevi and evaluate its diagnostic validity, using the confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope Nidek Mirante (cSLO). A total of 41 choroidal nevi from 41 patients were included. All patients underwent multicolor fundus (mCF), infrared reflectance (IR), green fundus autofluorescence (FAF), dark-field (DF) and retromode (RM) imaging and optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans.

Integrated Exposure and Algal Ecotoxicological Assessments of Effluents from Secondary and Advanced-Tertiary Wastewater-Treatment Plants.

The great concern over the environmental impact of wastewaters has led to the designing of advanced treatment processes to upgrade conventional treatment plants and achieve a significant reduction of contaminants in receiving waters. In the present study we combined chemical and ecotoxicological analyses, aiming to evaluate the reduction of toxicity effects associated with the removal of micropollutants and to define the contribution of the detected compounds to the overall toxicity of the mixtures in a series of wastewater effluents collected from a secondary treatment (OUT 2) and from a tertiary activated carbon treatment (OUT 3) plant. The target compounds were selected after a screening procedure among pharmaceuticals, musk fragrances, and trace metals.

Holistic approach to chemical and microbiological quality of aquatic ecosystems impacted by wastewater effluent discharges.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) collect wastewater from various sources and use different treatment processes to reduce the load of pollutants in the environment. Since the removal of many chemical pollutants and bacteria by WWTPs is incomplete, they constitute a potential source of contaminants. The continuous release of contaminants through WWTP effluents can compromise the health of the aquatic ecosystems, even if they occur at very low concentrations.

Suspect screening of wastewaters to trace anti-COVID-19 drugs: Potential adverse effects on aquatic environment.

During the first period of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the lack of specific therapeutic treatments led to the provisional use of a number of drugs, with a continuous review of health protocols when new scientific evidence emerged. The management of this emergency sanitary situation could not take care of the possible indirect adverse effects on the environment, such as the release of a large amount of pharmaceuticals from wastewater treatment plants. The massive use of drugs, which were never used so widely until then, implied new risks for the aquatic environment.

Trabeculectomy versus Xen gel implant for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma: a 3-year retrospective analysis.

Objective: To compare the two surgical techniques in terms of efficacy, safety, and postoperative management over 36 months of follow-up.

Methods: This retrospective clinical cohort study compared the outcome of trabeculectomy surgery and Xen gel implant in patients having uncontrolled glaucoma. Patients were recruited using the following inclusion criteria: uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) on maximally tolerated medical therapy, healthy conjunctiva freely mobile in the superior sector, open-angle, glaucomatous visual field damage, full follow upfollow-up of at least 36 months.

Efficacy and Safety of Vitrectomy without Using Perfluorocarbon Liquids and Drainage Retinotomy Associated with Postoperative Positioning Based on Residual Subretinal Fluid for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment.

Medical records of 75 eyes from 75 consecutive patients with uncomplicated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were patients with RRD who underwent primary 23- or 25-gauge PPV with air, gas, or SiO tamponade and performed by a single surgeon, no use of perfluorocarbon liquids (PFCL) and drainage retinotomy, and follow-up ≥ six months. Exclusion criteria were patients who underwent previous vitreoretinal surgery, proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) more than grade B, giant tears, and encircling band associated with PPV.

Choroidal Detachment after XEN Gel Stent Implantation.

Background: The purpose of this study is to estimate the incidence of choroidal detachment (CD) after XEN gel stent implant surgery and to evaluate the associated factors.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical charts of 126 patients who underwent XEN implantation between March 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018 at the University Eye Clinic of Genoa. Ocular, demographics, and perioperative factor were registered and analysed.

Epidemiology of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery in Italy: A 15-Year Nationwide Registry Study.

There remains little information on the epidemiology of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R), therefore, we performed an epidemiological evaluation on the ACL-R procedures performed in Italy from 2001 to 2015 to highlight potential disparities in access to healthcare. The National Hospital Discharge records (SDO) maintained at the Italian Ministry of Health were analyzed from 2001 to 2015; 248,234 ACL-Rs were performed in Italy over the 15-year study period in the adult population (starting from 15 years old), and the incidence rate per year in 100,000 persons ranged from 21.70 to 33.

Ophthalmologic evaluation in vitamin-E deficiency: A case report.

A 41-year-old woman has come to our attention complaining of decreased visual acuity and monocular diplopia associated with upper and lower limb hypoesthesia. Malabsorption syndrome with vitamin A and E deficiency developed after a bariatric biliopancreatic diversion. The clinical ophthalmological signs and symptoms improved after oral vitamin supplementation therapy.

Efficacy of a Cycloplegic Agent Administered as a Spray in the Pediatric Population.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of cyclopentolate 1% administered as a spray in pediatric patients between 3 and 6 years old.

Methods: In this prospective, randomized, parallel group study, healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to receive cyclopentolate 1% as a single drop or a single puff into closed eyes.

Results: There were 61 patients included in the study; 31 received cyclopentolate 1% as drops and 30 received cyclopentolate 1% as spray.

Within- and Among-Clutch Variation of Yolk Perfluoroalkyl Acids in a Seabird from the Northern Adriatic Sea.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are surface-active agents used in diverse industrial and commercial applications. They contaminate both freshwater and marine ecosystems, are highly persistent, and accumulate through trophic transfer. Seabirds are exposed to environmental contaminants due to their high trophic position in food webs and relatively long lifespan.

Evaluating the Correlation between Alzheimer's Amyloid-β Peptides and Glaucoma in Human Aqueous Humor.

Purpose: Recent studies suggest that glaucoma may share common pathogenic mechanisms with Alzheimer's disease. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the correlation between glaucoma and amyloid-β (Aβ) concentration in human samples of aqueous humor (AH).

Methods: Eighty-one candidates for cataract or glaucoma surgery were consecutively enrolled, with a median age of 77 years; of these, 32 subjects were affected by glaucoma and 49 were controls.

Presence and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewaters and rivers.

The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in raw wastewaters has been demonstrated in many countries affected by this pandemic. Nevertheless, virus presence and infectivity in treated wastewaters, but also in the receiving water bodies are still poorly investigated. In this study, raw and treated samples from three wastewater treatment plants, and three river samples within the Milano Metropolitan Area, Italy, were surveyed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by means of real time RT-PCR and infectivity test on culture cells.

Real-Life Data in the Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Results from the Imaculaweb Registry Evaluated in a Single Italian Medical Retina Center.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to assess and compare the long-term clinical efficacy of anti-VEGF drugs using the Imaculaweb registry.

Methods: In this observational study based on the Imaculaweb registry, outcome measures were the number of injections, the change in mean visual acuity (VA) and central macular thickness (CMT), and the time between diagnosis and the first injection.

Results: In total, 126 eyes of 109 patients were included in the study.

Early Postoperative Intraocular Pressure is Associated With Better Pressure Control After XEN Implantation.

Unlabelled: PRéCIS:: Gel stent implantation is a bleb-forming surgery designed to achieve predictable pressure drop. An early low intraocular pressure (IOP) is associated with the long-term success of the procedure.

Purpose: To identify the variables associated with the success of the XEN procedure.

XEN Implant Fracture During Needling Procedure.

Purpose: The XEN implant is a small hydrophilic stent designed to be implanted permanently for the treatment of glaucoma. As with other bleb-forming surgical procedures, needling is part of postoperative care. We describe 3 cases of XEN fracture of the subconjunctival portion that occurred during the needling procedure.

Predictors of Endothelial Cell Loss after Phacoemulsification for the Treatment of Primary Angle Closure.

Purpose: To investigate demographic and anatomical factors associated with a reduction in endothelial cell density (ECD) after phacoemulsification (PE) for the treatment of primary angle closure (PAC).

Methods: In this prospective case series, ECD was evaluated by noncontact specular microscopy and biometric parameters by both noncontact optical biometry and anterior segment optical coherence tomography, preoperatively and at 12 months after surgery. Anterior segment biomicroscopy and gonioscopy were also performed.

Biotransformation and oxidative stress responses in rat hepatic cell-line (H4IIE) exposed to organophosphate esters (OPEs).

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are frequently used as replacements for the banned polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs). Since OPEs are structurally similar to organophosphate pesticides, exposure and toxicity of these compounds is of significant societal and scientific interest. Cytotoxicity (MTT), biotransformation (cyp1a1) and oxidative stress responses (gpx1, gr, gsta2, cat) were investigated in H4IIE cells exposed for 48 h to four different OPEs (tributyl phosphate (TBP), tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP), tris-(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPP)).

Perfluoroalkyl acids in fish of Italian deep lakes: Environmental and human risk assessment.

Determination of 20 PFASs in a fish species (Alosa agone) of commercial interest has been carried out in five Italian subalpine lakes to assess the risk for humans and predators for fish consumption. PFOS still presents the highest concentrations (0.9-16.

Source discrimination of drug residues in wastewater: The case of salbutamol.

Analytical methods used for pharmaceuticals and drugs of abuse in sewage play a fundamental role in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) studies. Here quantitative analysis of drug metabolites in raw wastewaters is used to determine consumption from general population. Its great advantage in public health studies is that it gives objective, real-time data about community use of chemicals, highlighting the relationship between environmental and human health.