Ecological niche and in-situ control of MIB producers in source water

Odor problems in source water caused by 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) have been a common issue in China recently, posing a high risk to drinking water safety. The earthy-musty odorant MIB has an extremely low odor threshold (4–16 ng/L) and is hard to remove via conventional processes in drinking water plants (DWP), and therefore could easily provoke complaints from consumers. This compound is produced by a group of filamentous cyanobacteria, mainly belonging to Oscillatoriales. Different from the well-studied surface-blooming Microcystis, filamentous cyanobacteria have specific niche characteristics that allow them to stay at a subsurface or deep layer in the water column. The underwater bloom of these MIB producers is therefore passively determined by the underwater light availability, which is governed by the cell density of surface scum. This suggests that drinking water reservoirs with relatively low nutrient contents are not able to support surface blooms, but are a fairly good fit to the specialized ecological niche of filamentous cyanobacteria; this could explain the widespread odor problems in source water. At present, MIB is mainly treated in DWP using advanced treatment processes and/or activated carbon, but these post-treatment methods have high cost, and not able to deal with water containing high MIB concentrations. Thus, in situ control of MIB producers in source water is an effective complement and is desirable. Lowering the underwater light availability is a possible measure to control MIB producers according to their niche characteristics, which can be obtained by either changing the water level or other measures.     

The development of the fetal eye: In utero ultrasonographic measurements of the vitreous and lens

Our objective was to establish nomograms for fetal eye measurements from 12 weeks' gestation by using transvaginal and transabdominal high-resolution ultrasound techniques. A prospective cross-sectional study was performed on 450 normal singleton pregnancies between 12 and 37 weeks' gestation. Vitreous and lens circumferences were measured by transvaginal ultrasonography until 17 weeks, and by abdominal ultrasound between 18 and 37 weeks' gestation. Regression analyses were used to create nomograms, and several transformations were done to obtain linearity. Eye measurements of 12 fetuses at risk for ocular disturbances were plotted on the constructed nomograms. Linear relationships were fitted between vitreous (r²=0.79) and lens (r²=0.88) circumferences and gestational age. In addition, there was a significant correlation between these measurements and the biparietal diameter. Data of the fetuses at risk showed that disturbances in ocular growth were associated mainly with abnormal cerebral development. These normative data may be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of suspected congenital syndromes that include, among their manifestations, ocular growth disturbances such as microphthalmos and anophthalmos.     

On the parental origin of the X's in a prenatally diagnosed 49,XXXXX syndrome

A 49,XXXXX fetus was detected in amniotic fluid cell cultures from a 39-year-old mother. On ultrasonography, growth retardation and bilateral radioulnar synostosis were found. Additional clinical manifestations were mild facial anomalies and hypoplastic ovaries depleted of oocytes. Molecular analysis showed that this aneuploidy arose by successive maternal non-disjunction.     

Diagnosis and significance of cystic hygroma in the first trimester

Thirty cases of cervical cystic hygroma were diagnosed in the first trimester of pregnancy. Karyotype analysis was available in 29 (97 per cent). Fifteen (52 per cent) had a chromosomal abnormality. The ultrasound appearance was described as posterior cervical, lateral cervical, or cervical hygroma with hydrops. Of the 14 euploid embryos, six were electively aborted, two are undelivered, and six have been delivered as phenotypically normal infants. In cases in which the chromosomes were normal and the pregnancy continued, all lesions resolved by 18 weeks.     

Cardiotocographic and sonographic findings in two cases of antenatally diagnosed intrauterine fetal brain death

Intrauterine fetal brain death is a rare cause of a fixed fetal heart rate pattern. Seven cases have been previously reported in the literature, but only two of them were diagnosed prenatally and all the newborns died soon after delivery. Two additional cases of antepartum diagnosis of intrauterine fetal brain death, managed expectantly, are reported. We had the unique opportunity to document progressive sonographic cerebral changes during the follow-up period, following the neurological event, while the fetus continued life and growth in utero. The cardiographic and sonographic findings suggesting intrauterine fetal brain death were a prolonged fixed fetal heart rate, even following a vibroacoustic and contraction stress test; an atonic fetus without breathing and body movement; and the appearance of hydramnios and the development of ventriculomegaly.     

Maternal and cord blood levels of Aldrin and Dieldrin in Delhi population

Aldrin and dieldrin, structurally similar organochlorine pesticides belong to cyclodiene family and were widely used for agriculture and public health program in India. Although the manufacturing, use and import of aldrin and dieldrin have been banned in India since 2003, these pesticides are still persistent in environment and may be associated with adverse neurological and reproductive effects. The aim of this study is to assess the recent exposure level of aldrin and dieldrin and their placental transfer to fetus in normal healthy full-term pregnant women belonging to north Indian population undergoing normal delivery at Obstetrics and Gynecology department of UCMS and GTB hospital, Delhi. Quantitative analysis of aldrin and dieldrin residues in maternal and cord blood samples were carried out by gas chromatography system equipped with electron capture detector. The results of our study clearly revealed that maternal and cord blood levels of aldrin and dieldrin of pregnant women are age and dietary habit dependent. The aldrin level in maternal blood and dieldrin level in cord blood are higher in women in the age group 25–30 years than in women in age group of 19–24 years. Similarly, aldrin level in maternal blood is significantly higher in women with non-vegetarian dietary habit than in women with vegetarian dietary habit. No significant association is found for maternal and cord blood level. The results of the present study clearly demonstrate prenatal uptake of aldrin and dieldrin and provide recent information on the subsequent transplacental transfer.     

On Sustainable Development of Social Forestry in Bangladesh: Experiences from Sal (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Shorea Robusta</Emphasis>) Forests

Sustainability in forestry is a complex amalgam of trade-offs among its various dimensions and there is no easy route to achieve sustainable development. It is important that policy process and implementation strategy of these policies should be based on sound information about these trade-offs. There is a growing consensus amongst key forest decision-makers in Bangladesh that traditional forestry is needed to make the transition to more sustainable forestry, which is likely to involve local people in forest management. As a result, the government has initiated a social forestry program from 1981 with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) grant and operated mainly in Sal forest areas. The most important objective of this program is to protect, manage, and develop forests in a sustainable way by involving local communities. Although several studies have focused on the management issues of social forestry, none of these studies has evaluated the indicators of sustainable social forestry. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the criteria of sustainable development of social forestry in Bangladesh. The study is based on primary cross-sectional data collected using the multistage stratified sampling technique. In total, 581 social forestry farmers were selected randomly and interviewed using a pre-tested questionnaire. The study evaluated some important components of sustainable development and identified the following conditions of social forestry in Bangladesh:(i) almost all the components of sustainable development of social forestry, although not at the aspiration level, were at good condition;(ii) participants were interested and committed to work with Forest Department in developing social forestry;(iii) they had been utilizing both hard and soft technology in practicing social forestry, although there exists ample scope of development;(iv) income of participants after involving in social forestry had increased, although not at satisfactory level; and(v) process of producing social and material goods had been under progress.However, there exist plenty of scopes for sustainable social forestry development through improving the sustainable development components more carefully.Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.