Caracterización hidroquímica de la cuenca del río Andalgalá, provincia de Catamarca, República Argentina

El presente estudio tiene como objeto establecer las características hidroquímicas de la cuenca del río Andalgalá, ubicada en el departamento homónimo, provincia de Catamarca, República Argentina. El sector superior de la cuenca posee interesantes depósitos minerales metalíferos (Cu, Mo), de tipo hidrotermal, susceptibles de generar drenaje ácido de rocas y de minas; a la salida de la cuenca intermontana, se localiza una importante población de más de 14.000 habitantes Incluyó la recopilación y revisión de la información meteorológica, geológica, hidrológica e hidroquímica existente y la selección de indicadores de calidad de agua. Se aplicaron criterios de control de los registros hidroquímicos, tratamiento estadístico de la información seleccionada, aplicación de matriz de correlación, determinación de especies mayoritarias y tipos de agua mediante el empleo de diagramas hidroquímicos (diagramas de Piper y Schoeller) y evaluación e interpretación de la información generada. Se usaron los softwares AquaChem versión 7.1, MapInfo versión 7.0 y Excel 2003. El análisis se ha centrado en cinco estaciones de monitoreo: Minas, Candado, Candado – Minas (ubicadas en el sector superior de la cuenca), Blanco (sector medio) y La Toma (a la salida de cuenca intermontana). En la cuenca se observan dos tipos de facies hidroquímica: bicarbonatada cálcica y sulfatada cálcica. El aporte de agua sulfatada cálcica, proveniente del río Minas, si bien es neutralizada en parte por el agua bicarbonatada del río Candado y aguas abajo por el río Blanco, provoca el incremento de la cantidad y concentración de sustancias disueltas, en el agua resultante a la salida de la cuenca hídrica (estación La Toma). Entre los metales trazas, el hierro, el aluminio y el manganeso son los que se encuentran en mayor proporción en las aguas de la cuenca, superando en algunos registros, los niveles guías de calidad de agua potable establecidos por las normativas vigentes nacionales. El cobre y zinc únicamente en la estación Minas manifiestan en algunos registros valores ligeramente anómalos. Los principales procesos físicos y químicos que controlan la calidad de agua de gran parte de la cuenca de estudio son la meteorización de los minerales alumino – silicatados y la oxidación de sulfuros

Metallothionein is crucial for safe intracellular copper storage and cell survival at normal and supra-physiological exposure levels.

MTs (metallothioneins) increase the resistance of cells to exposure to high Cu (copper) levels. Characterization of the MT-Cu complex suggests that MT has an important role in the cellular storage and/or delivery of Cu ions to cuproenzymes. In this work we investigate how these properties contribute to Cu homoeostasis by evaluating the uptake, accumulation and efflux of Cu in wild-type and MT I/II null rat fibroblast cell lines. We also assessed changes in the expression of Cu metabolism-related genes in response to Cu exposure. At sub-physiological Cu levels (0.4 microM), the metal content was not dependent on MT; however, when extracellular Cu was increased to physiological levels (10 microM), MTs were required for the cell's ability to accumulate the metal. The subcellular localization of the accumulated metal in the cytoplasm was MT-dependent. Following supra-physiological Cu exposure (>50 microM), MT null cells had a decreased capacity for Cu storage and an elevated sensitivity to a minor increment in intracellular metal levels, suggesting that intracellular Cu toxicity is due not to the metal content but to the interactions of the metal with cellular components. Moreover, MT null cells failed to show increased levels of mRNAs encoding MT I, SOD1 (superoxide dismutase 1) and Ccs1 (Cu chaperone for SOD) in response to Cu exposure. These results support a role for MT in the storage of Cu in a safe compartment and in sequestering an intracellular excess of Cu in response to supra-physiological Cu exposure. Gene expression analysis suggests the necessity of having MT as part of the signalling pathway that induces gene expression in response to Cu

Higher environmental relative moldiness index values measured in homes of adults with asthma, rhinitis, or both conditions

Higher values of the environmental relative moldiness index (ERMI), a DNA-based method for quantifying indoor molds, have been associated with asthma in children. In this study, settled dust samples were collected from the homes of adults with asthma, rhinitis, or both conditions (n=139 homes) in Northern California. The ERMI values for these samples were compared to those from dust collected in homes from the same geographic region randomly selected as part of the 2006 American Healthy Home Survey (n=44). The median ERMI value in homes of adult with airway disease (6) was significantly greater than median ERMI value (2) in the randomly selected homes (p<0.0001). In this study in Northern California, the homes of adults with asthma had ERMI values consistent with a heavier burden of indoor mold than that measured in other homes from the same region

Both Pulmonary and Extra-Pulmonary Factors Predict the Development of Disability in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

BackgroundAlthough chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of disability worldwide, its determinants remain poorly defined.ObjectiveWe hypothesized that both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary factors would predict prospective disablement across a hierarchy of activities in persons with COPD.MethodsSix hundred and nine participants were studied at baseline (T0) and 2.5 years later (T1). The Valued Life Activities (VLA) scale quantified disability (10-point scale: 0 = no difficulty and 10 = unable to perform), defining disability as any activity newly rated 'unable to perform' at T1. Predictors included pulmonary (lung function, 6-minute walk distance and COPD severity score) and extra-pulmonary (quadriceps strength and lower extremity function) factors. Prospective disability risk was tested by separate logistic regression models for each predictor (baseline value and its change, T0-T1; odds ratios were scaled at 1 standard deviation per factor. Incident disability across a hierarchy of obligatory, committed and discretionary VLA subscales was compared.ResultsSubjects manifested a 40% or greater increased odds of developing disability for each predictor (baseline and change over time). Disability in discretionary activities developed at a rate 2.2-times higher than observed in committed activities, which was in turn 2.5-times higher than the rate observed in obligatory activities (p < 0.05 for each level).ConclusionsDisability is common in COPD. Both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary factors are important in predicting its development

Annual average ambient particulate matter exposure estimates, measured home particulate matter, and hair nicotine are associated with respiratory outcomes in adults with asthma

BACKGROUND: While exposure to outdoor particulate matter (PM) has been associated with poor asthma outcomes, few studies have investigated the combined effects of outdoor and indoor PM (including secondhand tobacco smoke). OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between PM and asthma outcomes. METHODS: We analyzed data from a cohort of adults with asthma and rhinitis (n=302; 82% both conditions; 13% asthma only; 5% rhinitis alone) including measures of home PM, tobacco smoke exposure (hair nicotine and self-report), ambient PM from regional monitoring, distance to roadway, and season (wet or dry). The outcomes of interest were frequent respiratory symptoms and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) below the lower limit of normal (NHANES reference values). Multivariable regression analyses examined the associations (Odds Ratio [OR] and 95% Confidence Interval [95%CI]) between exposures and these outcomes, adjusted by sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: In adjusted analyses of each exposure, the highest tertile of home PM and season of interview were associated with increased odds for more frequent respiratory symptoms (OR=1.64 95%CI: [1.00, 2.69] and OR = 1.66 95%CI: [1.09, 2.51]). The highest tertile of hair nicotine was significantly associated with FEV(1) below the lower limit of normal (OR=1.80 95%CI: [1.00, 3.25]). In a model including home PM, ambient PM, and hair nicotine, and season, only two associations remained strong: hair nicotine with FEV(1) below the lower limit of normal and season of measurement (dry, April-October) with increased respiratory symptoms (OR=1.85 95%CI: [1.00, 3.41] and OR = 1.54 95%CI: [1.0, 2.37]). When that model was stratified by sex, the highest tertiles of ambient PM and hair nicotine were associated with FEV(1) below the lower limit of normal among women (OR=2.23 95%CI: [1.08, 4.61] and OR=2.90 95% CI: [1.32, 6.38]), but not men. The highest tertile of hair nicotine was also associated with increased respiratory symptoms in women but not men (OR=2.38 95% CI: [1.26, 4.49]). When stratified by age, the middle quartile of ambient PM and the highest hair nicotine tertile were associated with increased respiratory symptoms (OR=2.07 95%CI: [1.01, 4.24] and OR=2.55 95%CI: [1.21,5.36]) in those under 55 but not in the older stratum. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to PM from both home and ambient sources is associated with increased symptoms and lower lung function in adults with asthma, although these associations vary by type of PM, the respiratory outcome studied, sex and age