gold-mining site to investigate the influence of mining-related Hg0 emissions on the local atmosphere and environment. Compared to a control site, the tree-ring Hg record documents highly elevated atmospheric Hg0 concentrations during the period mining activities were ongoing at this site.To reduce direct discharges of surface runoff to receiving waters, separate sewer systems have been implemented, with runoff retention basins (RRB) for pollutant pretreatment by sedimentation and infiltration. However, due to frequent and intense precipitation events, most RRBs are overwhelmed by runoff resulting in overflow into the receiving freshwater bodies. Hence, the present study evaluates the impact of traffic-related runoff overflow on metal concentrations in sediment and Gammarus sp. Downstream of the RRB outfall in the receiving stream. Samples were collected from the RRB, upstream (reference site) and at different distances downstream from the RRB outfall in the stream. The samples were analyzed for the presence and distribution of metals using ICP-MS. Furthermore, ecotoxicological effects of the overflow on benthic species were assessed using Lumbriculus variegatus exposed to the field sediments. Our findings reveal that overflow of the RRB results in elevated traffic-related metal concentrations adverse effects on organisms.Organic ultraviolet filters (OUVFs) are used in a wide range of manufactured products including personal care (e.g. sunscreens) and plastic items. This review summarizes the available data regarding the toxic effects of OUVFs on marine and freshwater organisms and generates the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) values necessary for assessing ecological risk. Through a systematic search of the literature, 89 studies were identified and ecotoxicological data extracted. Collectively, these studies described toxicity testing with 39 OUVF from 10 structural classes, with derivatives of benzophenones (49%) and camphors (16%) most studied. There was a bias towards selecting freshwater species (61%), and evaluating single OUVF effects (87%) rather than OUVF mixtures. Short-term (acute) experimentation (58%) was marginally more common than long-term (chronic) testing (42%). Reproductive, developmental, genetic, and neurological toxicity were the most commonly identified effects in aquatic organism, and were associated with molecular interactions with steroid receptors, DNA, or the production of reactive oxygen species. Species sensitivity distribution and/or assessment factors were used to calculate PNECs for 22 OUVFs and the risk quotients for 12 OUVFs. When using maximum concentrations, high risk was observed for six OUVFs in marine environments (4-methylbenzylidene-camphor, octocrylene, padimate-O, benzophenone-1, and oxybenzone, ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate), and for four OUVFs in freshwater environments (ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, avobenzone and oxybenzone). When using median concentrations, a risk to marine environments was observed for oxybenzone. The results of this review underline that there is limited knowledge of the pathological effects of OUVFs and their metabolites in aquatic environments, and this inhibits the development of informed water-quality guidelines. To characterize treatment plan (TP) quality, a quantitative quality control (QC) tool is proposed. The tool is validated using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans for treatment of prostate cancer by estimating the achievable organ at risk (OAR) sparing, based on the knowledge learned from prior plans. Prostate TP quality was investigated by evaluating the achieved OAR sparing in the rectum and bladder, based on their proximity to target surface. The knowledge base used in this work comprises 450 plans, consisting of 181 homogenous prostate plans and 269 simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) prostate plans. A knowledge-based algorithm was used to relate the absorbed doses of the OARs (rectum and bladder) and their proximity to the planning target volume (PTV). A metric (M value) was calculated to characterize the OAR sparing based on the weighted differences of the mean doses at binned distances to the PTV surface. The 90% probability ellipse of the normally distributed OARs M values was considered to define a threshold above which the treatment plan was re-optimized. Following re-optimization, 8/11 of the homogenous plans and 6/13 of the SIB plans outside the 90% probability ellipse could be re-optimized to gain better OAR sparing while achieving the same or better target coverage. However, 3/4 of the homogenous TPs and 1/9 of the SIB TPs between 80% and 90% were improved. this website M values of bladder and rectum after re-optimizing the plans in both groups of homogenous and SIB showed lower values compared to the corresponding values before re-optimization, which implies that better OARs sparing was achieved. This work demonstrates an effective anatomy-specific QC tool for identifying suboptimal plans and determining the achievable OAR sparing for each individual patient anatomy.This work demonstrates an effective anatomy-specific QC tool for identifying suboptimal plans and determining the achievable OAR sparing for each individual patient anatomy. Altered drug pharmacokinetics is a significant concern in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients. Although high-fat high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet-induced NASH (HFHC-NASH) rats could simulate the typical dysregulation of cholesterol in NASH patients, experimental investigation on the altered drug pharmacokinetics in this model are limited. Thus, the present study comprehensive investigates the nature of such altered pharmacokinetics using simvastatin as the model drug. Pharmacokinetic profiles of simvastatin and its active metabolite simvastatin acid together with compartmental pharmacokinetic modelling were used to identify the key factors involved in the altered pharmacokinetics of simvastatin in HFHC-NASH rats. Experimental investigations via in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion and intrahepatic injection of simvastatin were carried out. Histology, Ces1 activities and mRNA/protein levels of Oatp1b2/CYP2c11/P-gp in the small intestine/liver of healthy and HFHC-NASH rats were compared. Reduced intestinal absorption and more extensive hepatic elimination in HFHC-NASH rats resulted in less systemic exposures of simvastatin/simvastatin acid.

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