Assessment of origin and fate of contaminants along mining-affected Rio Montevecchio (SW Sardinia, Italy): A hydrologic-tracer and environmental mineralogy study

Hydrologic tracer techniques were applied to Rio Montevecchio (SW Sardinia, Italy), a stream affected by mine drainage, allowing the calculation of discharge and contaminant loads. Discharge along the stream showed a constant increase throughout the 2.7 km-long study reach, up to 13.6 l/s at the last synoptic point. Calculated loads of mine-related constituents were large, reaching values of 1780 kg/day for, 340 kg/day for Zn, 47 kg/day for Fe, and 50 kg/day for Mn. The difference of the cumulative instream metal loads between the first and the last synoptic sampling points indicated gains of 421 kg/day for Zn, 2080 kg/day for, 56 kg/day for Mn, and 50 kg/day for Fe. The source areas critical for contaminants loading were almost all concentrated in the first 800 meters of the stream, with the exception of Pb, whose loading occurs evenly along the whole study reach. Precipitation of secondary minerals along the streambed was responsible for a very high attenuation of Al and Fe loads (66% and 77%) and affected also and Zn loads, though less effectively. Rio Montevecchio has the second highest metal load among the rivers investigated with tracer techniques in SW Sardinia. In comparison with Rio Irvi, which has one order of magnitude higher metal loads, natural attenuation processes limit the loads in Rio Montevecchio. Results are useful to clarify the hydrogeochemical paths involved in the release and attenuation of pollutants, improving our understanding of stream responses to contamination and aiding development of site-specific remediation actions

Gestational diabetes, inflammation, and late vascular disease

Physiological changes of pregnancy include insulin resistance and activation of the innate immunity with an inflammatory response. The working hypothesis is that the sub-clinical inflammation associated with excessive adiposity may favor the development of gestational diabetes (GDM) and Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic abnormalities related to cardiovascular disease later in life. In this paper we review the complex interrelationship among inflammatory markers, metabolic syndrome, and endothelium dysfunction in women with GDM and discuss if women with previous GDM (pGDM) could be considered at risk for cardiovascular diseases. MEDLINE was searched for articles relating GDM and the adipokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and adiponectin) as well as the acute-phase inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein that contribute to the development of diabetic pregnancy and vascular complications. However, to date, in pGDM women no prospective study is available, to corroborate the hypothesis that inflammatory pattern could be taken as predictor of cardiovascular disease later in life. Therefore, our paper should provide arguments to perform follow-up programs to prevent cardiovascular events in women with pGDM. Control of body weight, regular physical exercise are indeed powerful intervention tools able at improving insulin sensitivity and reduce sub-clinical inflammation, both involved in the patoghenesis of cardiovascular disease

Prescribing exercise for prevention and treatment of gestational diabetes: review of suggested recommendations

Exercise has been proved to be safe during pregnancy and to offer benefits for both mother and fetus; moreover, physical activity may represent a useful tool for gestational diabetes prevention and treatment. Therefore, all women in uncomplicated pregnancy should be encouraged to engage in physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle. However, exercise in pregnancy needs a careful medical evaluation to exclude medical or obstetric contraindications to exercise, and an appropriate prescription considering frequency, intensity, type and duration of exercise, to carefully balance between potential benefits and potential harmful effects. Moreover, some precautions related to anatomical and functional adaptations observed during pregnancy should be taken into consideration. This review summarized the suggested recommendations for physical activity among pregnant women with focus on gestational diabetes