Congenital myotonic dystrophy: An often unsuspected cause of severe polyhydramnios

Two cases of severe polyhydramnios are presented in which the unsuspected diagnosis of myotonic dystrophy was made in the patient and the fetus.     

Mosaicism and accuracy of prenatal cytogenetic diagnoses after chorionic villus sampling and placental biopsies

Discrepant chromosome findings in placenta and fetus (false negative and false positive) after chorionic villus sampling (CVS) are mainly due to confined mosaicism. Non-mosaic normal or abnormal chromosome counts after direct preparation and culture nearly always correctly reflect the fetal chromosome constitution. False-negative results have almost exclusively been restricted to cytotrophoblast cells not representing a fetal chromosome abnormality. Diagnosis of placental mosaicism definitely requires an adequate follow-up by amniocentesis, fetal blood sampling, or sonography before a pregnancy is terminated. When direct preparations and cultured cells are used for cytogenetic diagnoses and placental mosaicism is not taken as proof for a chromosomal abnormality in the fetus, CVS is an accurate diagnostic tool.     

Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein and fetal triploidy

Fetal triploidy is commonly found in early pregnancy. The majority of these pregnancies spontaneously abort in the first trimester. Occasionally, the pregnancy progresses to the second and third trimesters. We reviewed the maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP), amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase (ACHE), fetal pathology, and placental pathology in sex second-trimester pregnancies complicated by fetal triploidy. Four of these patients had MSAFP values greater than 7.5 multiples of the median (MoM). Five of six pregnancies had MSAFP values greater than 2.25 MoM. All five of these patients had a partial mole. Four patients had amniotic fluid AFP values greater than 2.0 MoM. Two fetuses had associated neural tube defects. These were the only patients with positive amniotic fluid ACHE. None of the other patients had fetuses with anomalies that are known to be associated with an elevated MSAFP. The elevated MSAFP appeared to be related to the presence of a partial mole. Two of the five cases with an MSAFP greater than 2.25 MoM did not have sonographic evidence of a significant anomaly. Therefore, karyotyping can be of benefit in evaluating patients with elevated MSAFP.     

Sorption of pentachlorophenol on pine bark

The minimization of pentachlorophenol (PCP) transport in the environment driven by industrial wastewater discharges can be accomplished by sorption in natural, available and low cost by-products like pine bark. Taking into account that PCP is a chemical which behaviour is highly dominated by the surrounding features, this work intended to evaluate the sorption kinetics and equilibrium parameters according to the pH and temperature as well as the pine bark particle size. The PCP uptake by pine bark showed to be faster in the initial phase followed by a slower process, being 24 h the suitably time to reach the sorption equilibrium in the range of pH studied. The neutral PCP species showed to have higher binding capacity to pine bark than the anionic PCP, which was reflected in a decrease in the distribution coefficient (Kd) of the linear sorption isotherm with the increase of solution pH from 2 to 7. On the other hand, between 10 degrees C and 35 degrees C, the temperature does not seem to play a significant role in the PCP sorption by pine bark, while the sorbent size is a key parameter to enhance the overall process.     

Acute and chronic impacts caused by aromatic hydrocarbons on bacterial communities at Boa Viagem and Forte do Rio Branco Beaches, Guanabara Bay, Brazil

The bacterial community presented significantly different hydrocarbonoclastic activity under acute and chronic impacts. Benzoic acid, toluene, benzene and xylene were used in final concentrations of 5, 10 and 15 mM and bacterial biomass was quantified through protein dosage. Under acute impact, the highest biomass percentages occurred between the 11th and 14th days; under chronic impact, between the 20th and 29th days. Under acute and chronic impacts, the bacterial biomass presented higher nutritional specialization at Boa Viagem Beach, using the aromatic hydrocarbons up to a concentration of 15 mM. Under acute impact, the concentration of the hydrocarbons constituted a critical factor for the bacterial flora from Forte do Rio Beach, because biomass increases only occurred in concentrations of 5 mM; under chronic impact, the aromatic hydrocarbons induced the specialization and increased bacterial biomass for 15 mM toluene. Benzoic acid (15 mM) was used by the bacteria from Boa Viagem and Forte do Rio Branco Beaches.     

Influence of air pollution on the incidence of respiratory tract neoplasm

To evaluate the possible influence of air pollutants on the incidence of respiratory tract neoplasm we studied 12 S?o Paulo City districts where air pollution is observed. We collected data on pollutants from 1981-1990 and correlated it with the incidence of larynx and lung neoplasms in 1997. Ozone was the pollutant that best correlated with the incidence of neoplasm. The correlation coefficients were 0.7234 (p=0.277) and 0.9929 (p=0.007) for lung and larynx cancer, respectively. There may be a relationship between air pollution and the incidence of respiratory tract neoplasm. This study, however, does not allow us to conclude that there is a causal relationship.     

Sustainable watershed management: an international multi-watershed case study

Global freshwater resources are being increasingly polluted and depleted, threatening sustainable development and human and ecosystem health. Utilizing case studies from 4 different watersheds in the United States, Japan, Switzerland, and Brazil, this paper identifies the most relevant sustainability deficits and derives general vectors for more sustainable water management. As a consequence of the demographic and economic developments experienced in the last few decades, each watershed has suffered declines in water quality, streamflow and biotic resources. However, the extent and the cultural perception of these water-related problems vary substantially in the different watersheds, leading to specific water-management strategies. In industrialized countries, exemplified by the US, Switzerland, and Japan, these strategies have primarily consisted of finance- and energy-intensive technologies, allowing these countries to meet water requirements while minimizing human health risks. But, from a sustainability point of view, such strategies, relying on limited natural resources, are not long-term solutions. For newly industrialized countries such as Brazil, expensive technologies for water management are often not economically feasible, thus limiting the extent to which newly industrialized and developing countries can utilize the expertise offered by the industrialized world. Sustainable water management has to be achieved by a common learning process involving industrialized, newly industrialized, and developing countries, following general sustainability guidelines as exemplified in this paper.     

Diel Variability of Water Quality in a Tropical Polluted Bay

The objective is to describe and quantify the diel variability of water quality in a tropical coastal system, Guanabara Bay, Brazil. Water samples were collected in spring and neap tide cycles over 24 h periods at three strategic sites. A pollution gradient was evident between the sampling sites. The average fecal coliform values decreased from 10⁶ (site 3, most polluted) to 10¹ (site 1, less polluted). Organic matter mineralization was found in a similar gradient to organic pollution. However, complete nitrification was only found associated to regions where the water quality was better. Variability in this data set was determined mostly by the pollution gradient observed, and by tidal influence as well. The poor water quality indicates that the bay undergoes severe environmental stress. However water renewal promoted by tidal action was an important mechanism in diluting the pollution, improving water quality even in ebb tides and in the inner channels. The significance of micro-scale changes in water quality assessment in Guanabara Bay was confirmed, as well as the importance of these strategic sampling sites, reinforcing the importance of these measurements in monitoring programs.     

Radon in indoor air of primary schools: determinant factors,their variability and effective dose

Radon is a radioactive gas, abundant in granitic areas, such as in the city of Porto at the north-east of Portugal. This gas is a recognized carcinogenic agent, being appointed by the World Health Organization as the leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. The aim of this preliminary survey was to determine indoor radon concentrations in public primary schools, to analyse the main factors influencing their indoor concentration levels and to estimate the effective dose in students and teachers in primary schools. Radon concentrations were measured in 45 classrooms from 13 public primary schools located in Porto, using CR-39 passive radon detectors for about 2-month period. In all schools, radon concentrations ranged from 56 to 889 Bq/m³ (mean = 197 Bq/m³). The results showed that the limit of 100 Bq/m³ established by WHO IAQ guidelines was exceeded in 92 % of the measurements, as well as 8 % of the measurements exceeded the limit of 400 Bq/m³ established by the national legislation. Moreover, the mean annual effective dose was calculated as 1.25 mSv/y (ranging between 0.58 and 3.07 mSv/y), which is below the action level (3–10 mSv). The considerable variability of radon concentration observed between and within floors indicates a need to monitor concentrations in several rooms for each floor. A single radon detector for each room can be used, provided that the measurement error is considerably lower than variability of radon concentration between rooms. The results of the present survey will provide useful baseline data for adopting safety measures and dealing effectively with radiation emergencies. In particular, radon remediation techniques should be used in buildings located in the highest radon risk areas of Portugal. The results obtained in the current study concerning radon levels and their variations will be useful to optimize the design of future research surveys.     

Vertical growth in a coastal city: an analysis of Boa Viagem (Recife,Brazil)

Coastal zones around the world have experienced urban growth in the last 50 years. This landscape change brings new aspects for those zones and the environment. Real estate speculation is a decisive factor that changes landscape, with urban growth that occurs both in the extent and volume of construction. Boa Viagem (BV) beach at Recife, Northeast Brazil was just a sand bar covered by an Atlantic Forest until middle of the 1800s. Today, it has turned into a busy area of the city where residences, services and commerce co-exist in a densely packed arrangement. This work demonstrates and analyses vertical growth in BV and urban changes from 1961 to 2011. It was developed using digital image processing and visual analysis of satellite imagery and aerial photos. A GIS was created using SPRING and ArcScene, to calculate variations in area and volume creating a Volumetric Index (VI). The Minimal Mapping Area was used in sixteen census tract as samples of the area. Occupation and vertical growth were especially accentuated from 1981 to 1996 with the peak at 2011. Increases in vertical growth from shore to inland are evident in all parts of the district. This finding was confirmed by three-dimensional GIS representations of the study area and the VI during the period of this work, showing the potential of 3D GIS models for studying dense urbanization areas in coastal zones.