ABSTRACT Microplastics (MPs) are widespread pollutants that infiltrate ecosystems, food sources, and, increasingly, human tissues. Their persistence and small size facilitate entry into the human body via food, water, and inhaled air. Recognizing the health implications, this review explores the MPs pathways and impacts, from environmental distribution to mechanisms affecting human health. Through a comprehensive assessment of papers published up to October of 2025 across Scopus, PubMed, WoS, JSTOR, and Google Scholar, we synthesize current literature on MPs exposure routes and recent findings on their presence in tissues, including the skin, lungs, liver, and reproductive organs. Mechanistic insights implicate inflammation, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endocrine disruption as potential modes of toxicity. However, most data derive from in vitro or animal models, with limited human‐specific validation. Evidence linking MP exposure to disease outcomes remains preliminary and heterogeneous, constrained by inconsistent metrics, lack of standardized reference materials, and small sample sizes. Evidence confidence varies across tissues; the placenta and feces show high confidence, whereas others, such as penile and heart tissue, show low confidence. Although MPs’ capacity to act as vectors for contaminants and pathogens heightens concern, the magnitude of these risks in human populations is not yet quantifiable. This review identifies methodological gaps that hinder clinical risk characterization and emphasizes the need for harmonized analytical protocols, longitudinal epidemiological studies, and coordinated regulatory frameworks. By critically appraising current evidence, we aim to clarify what is known, what remains uncertain, and which research priorities are most urgent to inform effective public health interventions.
As interest in the long-term outcomes of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) grows, the Functional Status Scale (FSS) has emerged as an important tool for characterising rehabilitation needs in this patient population. This scoping review aimed to synthesise the functional outcomes assessed using the FSS, describe changes in these outcomes from baseline through discharge and during follow-up, examine the methodologies used to assign and interpret scores, and identify the main limitations and gaps in knowledge. The review was conducted according to the JBI methodology and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, with the protocol registered in OSF (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/AW287). We searched MEDLINE/PubMed, Ovid Emcare, and Scopus for studies of patients aged 0–18 years who underwent ECMO. We included 25 publications, predominantly retrospective cohorts from U.S. centres, with heterogeneous populations, indications, and ECMO modalities. The FSS primarily assessed functional status at discharge and new morbidity compared with baseline. Survivors generally exhibited mild to moderate functional impairment, primarily in feeding and respiratory function. Eight studies included measurements taken after discharge or discontinuation of support and described improvement in some survivors; however, a normal FSS score could coexist with neurobehavioral abnormalities the scale did not detect. No study formally evaluated the metric properties of the FSS specifically in this population. Prospective studies with standardised procedures, longitudinal measurements, and complementary assessments of neurodevelopment, adaptive behaviour, and quality of life are needed. Furthermore, qualitative studies could broaden our understanding of the post-ECMO experience by exploring the perspectives of patients and their families, changes in family dynamics, care and rehabilitation needs, and the influence of the social, educational, and community environment on the recovery process.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://osf.io/aw287/overview.
El objetivo del presente artículo es analizar la pertinencia y complementariedad de los enfoques cualitativo y cuantitativo en la investigación en administración, teniendo en cuenta la naturaleza y características de los diversos objetos de estudio que constituyen este campo del conocimiento. En términos metodológicos es de naturaleza cualitativa, fundamentado en un método deductivo y un tipo de estudio de carácter descriptivo, lo cual se soporta en un proceso de análisis documental sobre los fundamentos, aplicaciones, fortalezas, limitaciones de estos enfoques. Los resultados muestran que los diferentes fenómenos que se abordan en la administración tornan complejo establecer la superioridad de un enfoque sobre el otro. Temáticas como desarrollo organizacional, gestión del talento humano, proceso administrativo pueden demandar una mayor aproximación a lo cualitativo. Mientras, qué finanzas, programación lineal, producción tienen una orientación cuantitativa. Además, mercadeo, proyectos y el análisis de otros fenómenos organizacionales de mayor complejidad pueden hacer uso de la integración de ambos. Se concluye que en la administración la elección metodológica debe responder a la problemática, los objetivos y la naturaleza del objeto de estudio, estableciendo que para disponer de una visión más objetiva e integral de la realidad es pertinente la complementariedad entre los enfoques cualitativo y cuantitativo.
Background: Septic shock is associated with severe circulatory, cellular, and metabolic dysfunction. Norepinephrine is the first-line vasopressor; however, high catecholamine exposure may be associated with impaired tissue perfusion and increased mortality. Objective: To evaluate the association between vasopressor catecholamine exposure, tissue perfusion markers, and 28-day mortality in adult ICU patients with septic shock. Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort study was designed including 300 adult patients with septic shock admitted to intensive care units between 2022 and 2025. The main exposure was maximum norepinephrine dose during the first 24 hours, categorized as low, moderate, or high exposure. Tissue perfusion was assessed using lactate, lactate clearance, capillary refill time, urine output, and SOFA progression. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. Results: Overall 28-day mortality was 39.7%. Mortality increased from 19.5% in the low-dose group to 34.9% in the moderate-dose group and 64.1% in the high-dose group. High norepinephrine exposure was associated with higher lactate at 6 and 24 hours, lower lactate clearance, prolonged capillary refill time, reduced urine output, and greater SOFA progression. In multivariable analysis, norepinephrine dose ≥0.30 μg/kg/min was independently associated with 28-day mortality. Conclusions: High catecholamine vasopressor exposure was associated with impaired tissue perfusion and increased mortality in septic shock. Norepinephrine dose ≥0.30 μg/kg/min may serve as an early clinical warning marker when interpreted together with lactate clearance, capillary refill time, and urine output.
This study addresses the critical knowledge gap regarding the influence of kinetically controlled austenite reversion on the tribological stability of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) 18Ni-300 maraging steel. While conventional aging focuses on peak hardness (450–550 °C), this research investigates the high-temperature aging regime (610 °C and 650 °C) to elucidate the correlation between phase meta-stability and the evolution of protective tribo-layers. Samples were characterized using LOM, SEM, and XRD, with wear performance evaluated via pin-on-disk testing. A significant novelty of this work is the identification of a trevorite-rich oxide layer (Ni0.86Fe2+0.12Co0.01)Fe3+2O4 whose formation is directly promoted by the presence of reverted austenite. In contrast, hematite was found to form predominantly on the martensitic substrate. Results show that prolonging aging at 610 °C from 10 to 30 min reduced hardness from 540 HV0.2 to 511 HV0.2 due to precipitate coarsening and increased austenite reversion. Although high-temperature aging enhances wear resistance compared to the as-built state, the higher austenite content at 610 °C facilitated oxide layer detachment, increasing the coefficient of friction (CoF) to 0.58, compared to 0.44 observed at 650 °C. These findings provide a technical basis for optimizing 3D-printed components, shifting the focus from maximum hardness to the engineering of phase-stabilized tribological surfaces.
