Congenital nephrosis in low-risk pregnancies

Congenital nephrosis is an autosomal recessive disorder requiring neonatal renal transplant for survival. The postnatal diagnosis rests upon the electron microscopic evaluation of the epithelial foot processes and basal membrane of the glomeruli. The prenatal diagnosis can be suspected in the presence of a positive family history with an amniotic fluid (AF) alpha-fetoprotein level greater than 5 standard deviations (SD) above the population mean accompanied by a negative AF acetylcholinesterase, absent haemoglobin F, and an unremarkable fetal sonographic examination. We reviewed our series of seven cases of congenital nephrosis fulfilling the above criteria; four cases had negative family histories, and in two cases the diagnosis of congenital nephrosis was further supported by the presence of elevated AF albumin concentrations. We conclude that (1) the prenatal diagnosis of congenital nephrosis is feasible in a low-risk population, and (2) an elevated AF albumin concentration may represent an additional marker for the diagnosis of congenital nephrosis, even though false-negative results have been reported.     

Societal implications of sustainable energy action plans: from energy modelling to stakeholder learning

This article investigates the potential impact of sustainable energy action plans (SEAPs) on local development through a two-step methodology involving participatory planning and quantitative analysis. The first phase relies on a participatory system mapping (PSM) approach and generates a causal structure at the basis of the urban model. In the second phase, we transform the qualitative map into a system dynamic model which evaluates the effect of the SEAP on social, economic and environmental indicators. This methodology was applied to the case of Cascina Municipality (Italy). Through scenario analysis, we show that some indirect feedback can harm the achievement of the 20% emission reduction target. This process allows the local authority and stakeholders to evaluate the impact of emission reduction policies on CO₂ emissions and local development, thereby generating collective learning on the systemic implications of the plan. We show that this method can enhance the ambition of emission mitigation efforts by small towns.     

Salinity variations in the water resources fed by the Etnean volcanic aquifers (Sicily, Italy): natural vs. anthropogenic causes

In this paper, in an attempt to reveal possible changes connected to natural or anthropogenic causes, the main results of hydrogeochemical monitoring carried out at Mount Etna are evaluated. We report on the salinity contents of the groundwaters that flow in fractured volcanics, which make up the flanks of the volcano. These waters, analyzed for major ion chemistry, were sampled regularly from 1994 to 2004. Basing on nonparametric Sen??s slope estimator, time series of groundwater composition reveal that the salinity of most of the Etnean aquifers increased by 0.5% to 3.5% each year during this period. This change in the water chemistry is clearly referable to the overexploitation of the aquifers. This increasing trend needs to be inverted urgently; otherwise, it will cause a shortage of water in the near future, because the maximum admissible concentration of salinity for drinking water will be exceeded.     

Pollutants and sperm quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Male fertility and semen quality have declined over recent decades. Among other causes, exposure to environmental and occupational pollution has been...     

An intelligent way for discerning plastics at the shorelines and the seas

Irrespective of how plastics litter the coastline or enter the sea, they pose a major threat to birds and marine life alike. In this study, an artificial intelligence tool was used to create an image classifier based on a convolutional neural network architecture that utilises the bottleneck method. The trained bottleneck method classifier was able to categorise plastics encountered either at the shoreline or floating at the sea surface into eight distinct classes, namely, plastic bags, bottles, buckets, food wrappings, straws, derelict nets, fish, and other objects. Discerning objects with a success rate of 90%, the proposed deep learning approach constitutes a leap towards the smart identification of plastics at the coastline and the sea. Training and testing loss and accuracy results for a range of epochs and batch sizes have lent credibility to the proposed method. Results originating from a resolution sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the prediction technique retains its ability to correctly identify plastics even when image resolution was downsized by 75%. Intelligent tools, such as the one suggested here, can replace manual sorting of macroplastics from human operators revealing, for the first time, the true scale of the amount of plastic polluting our beaches and the seas.

     

BIO_ALGAE 2: improved model of microalgae and bacteria consortia for wastewater treatment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A new set up of the integral mechanistic BIO_ALGAE model that describes the complex interactions in mixed algal-bacterial systems was developed to...     

Mobility of heavy metals from polluted sediments of a semi-enclosed basin: in situ benthic chamber experiments in Taranto’s Mar Piccolo (Ionian Sea,Southern Italy)

In situ benthic flux experiments were conducted at two stations in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Italy), one of the most industrialised and contaminated coastal areas of the Mediterranean. Sediments of the two stations are notably different in their trace metal content, with a station closer to a Navy harbour showing higher mean concentrations of almost all investigated metals (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn). Conversely, both stations are characterised by significant Hg contamination, compared to the local baseline. Results of a sequential extraction scheme on surface sediments suggest a relatively scarce mobility of the examined metals (Zn > Ni > Cr > As > Cu > Pb). A Hg-specific extraction procedure showed that most of the element (93.1 %) occurs in a fraction comprising Hg bound to Fe/Mn oxi-hydroxides. Reduction of these oxides may affect Hg remobilisation and redistribution. Porewater profiles of dissolved trace metals were quite similar in the two sites, although significant differences could be observed for Al, Cu, Fe and Hg. The highest diffusive fluxes were observed for As, Fe and Mn. Mobility rates of several trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) were directly measured at the sediment–water interface. Results from benthic in situ incubation experiments showed increasing dissolved metal concentrations with time, resulting in higher fluxes for Cu, Fe, Hg, V and Zn in the most contaminated site. Conversely, fluxes of Mn, Ni and Pb were comparable between the two stations. The estimated flux of Hg (97 μg m^?2 day^?1) was the highest observed among similar experiments conducted in other highly contaminated Mediterranean coastal environments. Benthic fluxes could be partially explained by considering rates of organic matter remineralisation, dissolution of Fe/Mn oxy-hydroxides and metal speciation in sediments. Seasonal and spatial variation of biogeochemical parameters can influence metal remobilisation in the Mar Piccolo area. In particular, metals could be promptly remobilised as a consequence of oxygen depletion, posing a serious concern for the widespread fishing and mussel farming activities in the area.     

POPs in the Lagoon of Venice: budgets and pathways

Dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in the ecosystem of the Lagoon of Venice were studied, in order to provide a general picture of conditions in the lagoon in terms of contamination by persistent organic pollutants (POPs). We present here novel data on atmospheric deposition, water, sediment and clam samples collected in the lagoon during the period January 2001-December 2004. Atmospheric deposition was sampled monthly at six sites located both close and far from large industrial and urban sources. Water samples were collected monthly from fifteen stations, and twenty-five samples of sediments and clams (Tapes philippinarum) were collected in four areas where clams are farmed and harvested inside the lagoon. All samples were analysed for PCDD/Fs, PCBs and HCB by HRGC/HRMS in the same laboratory. All samples examined (atmospheric deposition and water) substantially confirmed the spatial pattern reported in previously published data on sediments and atmospheric deposition: the zone surrounding the Porto Marghera petrochemical plant always had the highest levels of POPs (i.e., PCDD/Fs: atmosphere approximately 6 pg of 2,3,7,8-TCDD equivalents (I-TE) m(-2)d(-1); water 0.37 pg I-TEl(-1); sediment: 300 ng kg(-1); clam 2.8 pg I-TE g(-1)), and the minima were found at points on the margins of the lagoon (PCDD/Fs: atmosphere approximately 1 pg I-TEm(-2)d(-1); water 0.05 pg I-TEl(-1); sediment: approximately 5 ng kg(-1); clam approximately 0.2 pg I-TE g(-1)). Intermediate values were often encountered in the historical city centre of Venice and in the central part of the lagoon. To confirm this, new data on correlation between levels of PCDD/F in sediments and clams are reported, both for absolute values and for the PCDD/F "fingerprint". There is always a clear fingerprinting signature (PCDF/PCDD>1) for samples collected near Porto Marghera, and the opposite (PCDF/PCDD<1) in the rest of the lagoon.     

Carbon deposition in soil rhizosphere following amendments with compost and its soluble fractions, as evaluated by combined soil-plant rhizobox and reporter gene systems

We determined the organic carbon released by roots of maize plants (Zea mays L.) when grown in soils amended with compost and its soluble fractions. In rhizobox systems, soil and roots are separated from the soil of a lower compartment by a nylon membrane. Treatments are applied to the upper compartment, while in the lower compartment luminescent biosensors measure the bioavailable organic carbon released by roots (rhizodeposition). The rhizobox-plants systems were amended with a compost (COM), its water extract (TEA), the hydrophobic (HoDOM) and hydrophilic (HiDOM) fractions of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from the compost. After root development, the lower untreated compartments were sampled and sliced into thin layers. The bioavailable organic carbon in each layer was assessed with the lux-marked biosensor Pseudomonas fluorescens 10586 pUCD607, and compared with total organic carbon (TOC) analyses. The TOC values ranged between 8.4 and 9.6 g kg(-1) and did not show any significant differences between bulk and rhizosphere soil samples in any treatment. Conversely, the biosensor detected significant differences in available C compounds for rhizosphere soils amended with various organic materials. Concentrations of available organic compounds in the first 2 mm of soil rhizosphere were 1.69 (control), 1.09 (COM), 2.87 (HiDOM), 4.73 (HoDOM) and 2.14 (TEA)micromol Cg(-1) soil g(-1) roots. The applied rhizobox-biosensor integrated method was successful in detecting and quantifying effects of organic amendments on organic carbon released by maize plant roots. This approach may become important in assessing the carbon cycle in agricultural soils and soil-atmosphere compartments.     

Analysis of the air pollution climate at a background site in the Po valley

The Po valley in northern Italy is renowned for its high air pollutant concentrations. Measurements of air pollutants from a background site in Modena, a town of 200 thousand inhabitants within the Po valley, are analysed. These comprise hourly data for CO, NO, NO(2), NO(x), and O(3), and daily gravimetric equivalent data for PM(10) from 1998-2010. The data are analysed in terms of long-term trends, annual, weekly and diurnal cycles, and auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions. CO, NO and NO(2) exhibit a strongly traffic-related pattern, with daily peaks at morning and evening rush hour and lower concentrations over the weekend. Ozone shows an annual cycle with a peak in July due to local production; notwithstanding the diurnal cycle dominated by titration by nitrogen oxide, the decreasing long term trend in NO concentration did not affect the long term trend in O(3), whose mean concentration remained steady over the sampling period. PM(10) shows a strong seasonality with higher concentration in winter and lower concentration in summer and spring. Both PM(10) and ozone show a marked weekly cycle in summer and winter respectively. Regressions of PM(10) upon NO(x) show a consistently greater intercept in winter, representing higher secondary PM(10) in the cooler months of the year. There is a seasonal pattern in primary PM(10) to NO(x) ratios, with lower values in winter and higher values in summer, but the reasons are unclear.