A Methodology to Identify the Releasing of the Amide-Containing β-Glucan from the Usnea Lichen: A Spectroscopic Study

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Polymer fractions from a biological matrix have been well-characterized by vibrational spectroscopy, XPS, CP/MAS 13C NMR, MALDI-TOF mass...     

Prenatal diagnosis of laryngeal atresia

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital atresia of the larynx is difficult but is possible by the findings of increased lung echogenicity and size coexisting with fetal ascites in ultrasonography. Sonographic findings may not always be typical. We report on a case of congenital laryngeal atresia diagnosed prenatally by the findings of fetal hydrops and hyperechogenic lungs. Our case presented with oligohydramnios. We also review syndromes that demonstrate laryngeal anomalies. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

First-trimester prenatal diagnosis of the nijmegen breakage syndrome and ataxia telangiectasia using an assay of radioresistant dna synthesis

Prenatal diagnosis was performed in two pregnancies at risk of the Nijmegen breakage syndrome. In one pregnancy, an affected fetus was diagnosed by demonstration of radioresistant DNA synthesis, using autoradiographic detection of incorporated tritiated thymidine in cultured chorionic villus cells. The diagnosis was confirmed in fetal skin fibroblasts. In the other case, the fetus appeared unaffected. Using the same procedure, unaffected fetuses were predicted from chorionic villus cells in two pregnancies at risk of ataxia telangiectasia, which is another genetic disorder showing the feature of radioresistant DNA synthesis. The present biochemical method for prenatal detection of Nijmegen breakage syndrome and ataxia telangiectasia can be used as a simplified alternative to the cytogenetic procedures reported earlier for ataxia telangiectasia.     

Spatial assessment of the economic feasibility of short rotation coppice on radioactively contaminated land in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. II. Monte Carlo analysis

A Monte Carlo analysis of two sequential GIS-embedded submodels, which evaluate the economic feasibility of short rotation coppice (SRC) production and energy conversion in areas contaminated by Chernobyl-derived (137)Cs, was performed to allow for variability of environmental conditions that was not contained in the spatial model inputs. The results from this analysis were compared to the results from the deterministic model presented in part I of this paper. It was concluded that, although the variability in the model results due to within-gridcell variability of the model inputs was considerable, the prediction of the areas where SRC and energy conversion is potentially profitable was robust. If the additional variability in the model input that is not contained in the input maps is also taken into account, the SRC production and energy conversion appears to be potentially profitable at more locations for both the small scale and large scale production scenarios than the model predicted using the deterministic model.     

Electrocoagulation of some reactive dyes: a statistical investigation of some electrochemical variables

In this study, the decolorization of strong colored solutions containing the reactive textile dyes by electrocoagulation was investigated. The experiments were statistically designed and carried out according to a 2(4) full factorial design with two replicate and four center points. This design was extended with eight additional axial points. Then, the non-linear regression was applied on the data by using MINITAB software. The variables chosen for this work are mixing rate, cell voltage, electrolysis time and current density. Results showed that the effective variables on decolorization process are cell voltage, electrolysis time and current density. In addition, to determine the effect of dye and electrode type on decolorization, the additional experiments were carried out. It was determined the dye and electrode type are important on the decolorization process.     

Assessing the trophic state of Linhos lake: a first step towards ecological rehabilitation

Lack of recognition of the value of wetlands has led to the loss of considerable areas of these ecosystems in the past. Linhos lake (Figueira da Foz, Portugal) is a good example of one of these ecosystems, in which human intervention was responsible for its environmental degradation and led to its precocious terrestrialization. Physico-chemical conditions and zooplankton community structure were studied in Linhos lake, in order to evaluate ecosystem functioning and to acquire baseline information. The system is characterised by high oxygen depletion. Spatial heterogeneity was confirmed by the existence of significant differences in total densities for the three zooplanktonic groups. Rotifers were the most abundant group attaining their maximum density in April (2251 x 1 ind/l). Keratella quadrata, K. cochlearis, Polyarthra vulgaris, Filinia terminalis and Hexarthra mira were the main abundant species. Correspondence analysis suggested temperature as the main controlling factor in species seasonality. In order to prevent the precocious disappearance of the lake some restoration measures were proposed based on zooplankton community structure.     

The use of forests for the purpose of tourism: the case of Belek Tourism Center in Turkey

The main aim of this article is to examine and review the usage of forests for the purpose of tourism in Turkey with the case study of Antalya-Belek. The use and conversion of forest lands is central to tourism development. Land use change is responsible for the majority of the negative environmental impacts of tourism on natural resources. Worldwide, forests and coastal zones are converted for the construction of tourist facilities. The rapid emergence of mass tourism development in Turkey, encouraged without considering protection and sustainable use of natural and cultural resources, has resulted in serious problems in forest areas. This paper is particularly concerned with land use change in forests (or deforestation) created by the allocation of forest lands to build tourist facilities. In Belek, a tourism center located in Antalya province's coastal areas and the fastest growing destination of the country, all tourist facilities have been established in forest lands under the status of conservation forest. Today, the Belek Conservation Forest is under severe pressure from tourism.     

Water quality and impacts of pollution sources for Eymir and Mogan Lakes (Turkey)

Mogan and Eymir Lakes are two shallow lakes, interconnected hydrologically in the close vicinity of Ankara, Turkey. A total of 245 km(2) of the total 971.4 km(2) watershed is under environmental protection status as "G?lba?i Specially Protected Area". Potential impacts from extensive agriculture, recreation, incomplete infrastructure and other human activities, such as residential settlements, are discussed with reference to previous and more recent pollution monitoring. Six monitoring stations enabling follow-up of previous work were selected in this study. These were on the creeks feeding the lake systems. Generally, summer months showed heavier pollution loads, with Eymir Lake concentrating the pollutants due to flow from Mogan Lake. When compared with the 1995 study; COD, total-P, Kjeldahl-N in the six stations were close or slightly decreased in the present study. Suspended solids significantly decreased; possibly due to erosion control measures and decreased domestic wastewater. The improvement in the pollution state of the lakes is attributed to the construction of a sewage system going around Mogan Lake and collecting wastewater discharges and restrictions to urban settlement development around the lakes brought by the 1/25,000 land use plan controlling further impact from residential developments within the protected area boundaries. The study, while addressing water quality and interactions due to human activities in shallow lakes, also discusses problems associated with human impacts in protected areas with the aim of presenting a complicated case study.     

Investigation of soil multi-element composition in Antalya,Turkey

The chemical composition of 73 surface soil samples collected at the city of Antalya were analyzed for major, minor and trace elements to assess distribution of soil pollution, due to deposition of pollution-derived particles from the atmosphere. Comparison with data from rural area and distribution maps demonstrated that the composition of soil by metals is not significantly modified by anthropogenic activities in most of the city and its surroundings. In these areas, observed concentrations can be largely accounted for by occurrence of elements in aluminasilicate matrix of soil. However, soil composition is altered substantially close to major industries and at the settlement districts. In such limited areas, concentrations of anthropogenic elements such as Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu and Cr are factors of 20-50 higher than their concentrations in unperturbed soil. Factor analysis revealed three groups of elements that differ in their distributions. One of these components is unperturbed soil component, which is distributed uniformly in the study area; the second one is polluted soil, which is mostly confined to settlement areas and around industries; and the third is a mixed marine and motor vehicle impacted soil component, which occurred at the coastal parts of the city.