Botín Foundation

<p>Since 1970 the number of freshwater species has suffered a decline of 83% worldwide and anthropic activities are considered to be major drivers of ecosystems degradation. Linking the ecological response to the multiple anthropogenic stressors acting in the system is essential to effectively design policy measures to restore riverine ecosystems. However, obtaining quantitative links between stressors and ecological status is still challenging, given the non-linearity of the ecosystem response and the need to consider multiple factors at play. This study applies machine learning techniques to explore the relationships between anthropogenic pressures and the composition of fish communities in the river basins of Castilla-La Mancha, a region covering nearly 79 500 km² in central Spain. During the past two decades, this region has experienced an alarming decline of the conservation status of native fish species. The starting point for the analysis is a 10x10 km grid that defines for each cell the presence or absence of several fish species before and after 2001. This database was used to characterize the evolution of several metrics of fish species richness over time, accounting for the species origin (native or alien), species features (e.g. pollution tolerance) and habitat preferences. Random Forest and Gradient Boosted Regression Trees algorithms were used to relate the resulting metrics to the stressor variables describing the anthropogenic pressures acting in the rivers, such as urban wastewater discharges, land use cover, hydro-morphological degradation and the alteration of the river flow regime. The study provides new, quantitative insights into pressures-ecosystem relationships in rivers and reveals the main factors that lead to the decline of fish richness in Castilla-La Mancha, which could help inform environmental policy initiatives.</p>

Background: Since the first studies by Apfelberg in 1994, laser lipolysis (LAL) has been on the rise. Laser lipolysis leads to reduced operator fatigue, excellent patient tolerance, quick recovery time, as well as the additional benefit of dermal tightening. This article reports a 5-year experience of LAL and underlines the potential evolutions of the technique. Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2010, 674 LAL procedures in 359 patients were performed at the Antoni De Gimbernat Foundation in collaboration with the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) U703. LAL was performed with a 980-nm diode laser after tumescent anaesthesia. The following laser settings were used: 600-μm optical fiber, continuous mode, power depending on individual body areas (18–40 W). The cumulative energy used for each area was recorded. Early and late complications were defined and reviewed for the whole series. Satisfaction was assessed by the patients using a visual analogue scale from 0 (unsatisfied) to 10 (highly satisfied). Results: Mean cumulative energy ranged from 12 to 60 kJ. Ecchymoses were observed in all patients but resolved in less than 10 days. A touch up was needed in four patients to remove small cushions of fat missed. Mean patient satisfaction ranged from 6/10 to 9.5/10 depending on the treated area. Moreover, all patients reported they would be willing to undergo the procedure again, if needed. Conclusion: 980-nm LAL appears to be a safe, effective and reproducible alternative to conventional lipoplasty. However, refinements in dosimetry should be developed in order to optimise outcomes.

BACKGROUND: A relatively inexpensive, portable epilation system based on unfiltered flashlamp technology (Spa Touch®, Epilast, Paris, France) was macroscopically and histologically evaluated for efficacy and duration of hair removal.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten patients participated (eight female, two male, aged 22–62 years, skin types I–V). The system delivers a 35 ms pulse of 6–7.5 J/cm2 of broadband infrared visible light through a large treatment window in the handpiece, held in light contact with the target skin, without skin cooling or anaesthesia. The skin was shaved before the first treatment, and the subsequent frequency of application over a further four sessions was done every month.RESULTS: Histology revealed the destruction of most of the hair shaft, with regrowth of finer and lighter hair approximately 4 weeks after the final treatment, depending on the area treated. Patients were satisfied with results if epilation was maintained on a monthly basis. A delay in treatment allows hair to grow back. An interesting observation was recorded on white and vellous hair. Nine of the 10 patients noted better skin condition in the treated area.CONCLUSIONS: This system retards hair regrowth and acts as a ‘light razor’ that can be implemented for speedy epilation at a reasonable cost.

The efficacy of a new dual wavelength Er:YAG and CO2 laser system was tested for skin resurfacing results on rabbits' ears and human facial skin. The dual wavelength laser delivers simultaneous pulses of low-energy CO2 and high-energy Er:YAG energies. Theoretically, combining the strengths of both laser types in one console should lead to improved clinical outcome. The use of the laser for skin resurfacing and remodeling has dramatically increased over the past few years. The CO2 laser was the first laser to be used in this field, followed more recently by the E:YAG laser. Both lasers offer unique advantages and disadvantages. The present study consists of an ear chamber experiment, conducted on eight rabbits, to examine vascular network formation, after laser resurfacing with a standard CO2 laser and the Er:YAG/CO2 laser. Resurfacing was also performed on human patients with the Er:YAG/CO2 laser and the results were compared with previously published results of CO2 laser resurfacing. Significant advantages, including an attenuation in the degree of edema and erythema and a shorter reepithelialization time compared to results with conventional CO2 systems, were observed with the Er:YAG/CO2 system. Improved tissue reorganization and good clinical results in nine of the ten patients (six ratings of "very good" and three "good") were observed. The clinical outcome of the remaining patient was rated as "fair." Minimal side effects were reported and observed in only three patients. The learning curve required to maximize the efficiency of the system is steep, however, requiring a thorough understanding of the different laser/tissue interactions associated with the two wavelengths. It is the authors' opinion that the dual wavelength Er:YAG/CO2 laser system offers a particularly efficient and flexible system to perform standard CO2 procedures for skin resurfacing with an improved clinical outcome, as well as other applications with the CO2 or Er:YAG energy delivered separately.

Experiments on an animal model for vascular lesions, the chicken comb model, have demonstrated a bluish-grey discoloration phenomenon similar to that observed immediately after pulsed dye laser treatment of port wine stains. In the model, erythrocytes and cell nuclei are found in the extravascular matrix even where there is no sign of vessel wall rupture. It is believed that the vapour pressure of the boiling blood forces erythrocytes through passages in an elastically expanding vessel wall.

Trelles, M. A. MD, PhD; Pardo, L. MD; Rigau, J. MD, PhD; Garcia, L. MD Author Information