Result-oriented approaches to the management of drinking water catchments in agricultural landscapes

Management of water quality in drinking water catchments is of ongoing, high importance as nitrate concentrations are often still very high. We analysed the Augsburg catchment in Germany, a unique example where a result-oriented approach has been implemented. We investigated the historical evolution of the water protection programme, the result-oriented payment contracts with farmers, and farmer satisfaction with the contracts, based on interviews with the water utility and farmers as well as an analysis of the literature. Today, the water protection programme has been successfully implemented, and a significant reduction of nitrate concentration was achieved due to the following factors: (1) investment of non-negligible amounts of money for high compensation and remuneration payments, (2) different contract options, (3) farmers’ participation in the negotiation process for result-oriented payment contracts, (4) involvement of “outside” people and institutions in negotiation processes, (5) anticipation of starting a programme when nitrate levels were still far below legislative thresholds, and (6) a political and legislative framework allowing direct decisions by a water supplier.     

A multibiomarker approach on the Atlantic tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) in the St. Lawrence Estuary

A multibiomarker approach was developed on juvenile Atlantic tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) to evaluate the pertinence of this approach for low-cost screening assessment of the environmental quality of various coastal sites within estuaries. Several biometric indices and biomarkers (ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, metallothionein concentration, and immune responses) were investigated on immature and maturing tomcods (≤31 months) collected in four environmentally contrasted sites in the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE). Simultaneous examination of various age classes provides the opportunity to detect short-term responses in sensitive young-of-the-year fish (e.g., EROD induction) and longer-time effects associated with chronic exposure and bioaccumulation (e.g., metallothionein induction). Principal component analysis was helpful to discriminate between responses possibly related to contaminant exposure (EROD, metallothionein) and responses that could be affected by upstream–downstream gradient (immune response, biometric indices). Measurement of a battery of biomarkers in young tomcods at several sites along the shore of the SLE is a low-cost screening investigation useful to identify hot spots requiring further investigation with chemical analysis and additional reference sites.     

A status report on the U.S. national dioxin study

In 1983, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) embarked on an extensive investigation of the presence and extent of contamination of the national environment by CDDs/CDFs. This status report is a prelude to a final report to be delivered to the US Congress in December, 1985.     

Determination of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in fresh water fish

Validated sample preparation procedures and high resolution gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry techniques were utilized for the quantitative measurement of 4 to 695 pg/g (ppt) levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2378-TCDD) in the edible portions of fish from the state of Michigan. The methodology and the analytical results are presented.     

Prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. II. Meconium ileus in affected fetuses

Meconium ileus was the presenting feature of cystic fibrosis in 46 per cent of the couples which have been referred for prenatal diagnosis. In fetuses which have been aborted on the basis of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes assays, meconium ileus represented the only pathological feature of cystic fibrosis, and was observed in three fourths of the cases. Real-time sonographic examination of fetuses at the time of amniocentesis was able to show an echogenic mass in the abdomen corresponding to the meconium ileus, and thus may afford a complementary means of diagnosis.     

Ultrasound movement patterns of fetuses with chromosome anomalies

Fetal movements were examined by ultrasound in 24 pregnancies in which an abnormal karyotype was detected in fetal cells and compared to ultrasound fetal movement patterns in normal pregnancies. The main features in fetuses with chromosome anomalies observed at 18–20 weeks of gestation are the persistence of global, jerky movements with twitches usually seen at 13–14 weeks of gestation in normal fetuses. This fetal motor behaviour is inconstant in trisomy 21. In trisomy 18 the hand deformities are easily detected.     

Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 4p: a new locus for holoprosencephaly?

Trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 4 is a well-known syndrome, and several observations have been made in the last 30 years. Herein, we report a new observation of trisomy 4p in a fetus with a semi-lobar holoprosencephaly (HPE), dysmorphic features and multiple malformations. The diagnosis of HPE was made, at 33 weeks' gestation, on the fetus of a healthy G1P0 woman. Amniocentesis was performed for chromosome analysis and additional material was found on a chromosome 22. The couple elected to terminate the pregnancy and fetal examination was realized. Conventional and molecular cytogenetic studies were performed on the fetus and the parents, which showed that the additional material found on one chromosome 22 corresponded to the short arm of chromosome 4 and therefore led us to establish a diagnosis of trisomy 4p inherited from the malsegregation of a paternal translocation t(4;22)(q12;q11.1). The etiology of HPE is very heterogeneous; it includes non-genetic factors such as maternal diabetes and genetic causes. HPE cases have been described in association with many chromosomal anomalies, trisomy 13 being the most frequent. However, to our knowledge, HPE has never been previously reported in association with a trisomy involving solely the short arm of chromosome 4. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.