Phytodepuration processes in two short rotation forestry systems within the Venice lagoon watershed

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Nitrogen budget of Short Rotation forests amended with digestate in highly permeable soils

Bioenergy crops are a promising option for integrating fossil fuels and achieving European environmental targets. Among these, Short Rotation Forestry (SRF) crops and biogas plants have been considered an opportunity for sustainable agricultural development due to their environmental benefits. In this case study, an N balance was performed by comparing an SRF Platanus hispanica plantation with a permanent meadow, both located in an area with highly permeable soils, using two different amounts of organic fertilization (digestate) for each system (0, 170 and 340 kg-N ha−1 y−1). The results obtained indicate that, in the presence of highly permeable soils, the SRF is not effective in retaining N during the initial stage of growth, despite the use of a suitable application rate of digestate. Higher N leaching rates occurred in SRF crops compared to permanent meadows. Moreover, the N potential removal rate did not vary proportionally with the applied dose of digestate. To avoid N leaching excess, the annual applied N should be not only within 170 kg-N ha−1 y−1 (Nitrate Directive legal limits for nitrate vulnerable zone) but should also follow precise and accurate distribution practices, like: controlled grassing between the tree rows and soil’s minimum tillage immediately after the digestate spreading

Cholelithiasis in children with sickle cell disease

OBJECTIVE: Given the high frequency of cholelithiasis in children with sickle cell disease and the controversies about its management, the aim of this study was to critically review the literature about this issue. DATA SOURCES: Published studies in English and Portuguese from 1980 to 2007 about cholelithiasis and sickle cell anemia in children were retrieved from Medline and Lilacs databases. DATA SYNTHESIS: Cholelithiasis is the most common digestive complication of sickle cell disease patients and its frequency increases with age. Physiopathology of gallstones and diagnostic methods are well established. Cholecystectomy is the recommended therapy for symptomatic cholelithiasis, preferentially by laparoscopic approach. In asymptomatic patients, most studies favors the surgical management of the disease in order to avoid complications and to reduce difficulties with the differential diagnosis of future abdominal pain. However, the clinical management of this condition is also possible and there is no consensus in the literature regarding the best approach. CONCLUSIONS: Sickle cell disease presents great variations in clinical presentation, natural history and severity of hemolysis. Some populations may present lower frequency of cholelithiasis and its symptoms. Variability in the frequency of this complication may be attributed to genetic variation in haplotipes, environmental factors, clinical course and management of the sickle cell disease. Scientific evidence regarding the best time to indicate cholecystectomy in asymptomatic patient is not available. Therefore, decision regarding the need of clinical or surgical approach of the cholelithiasis depends on individual and population factors.OBJETIVO: Considerando a alta freqüência da colelitíase no paciente pediátrico com doença falciforme e a controvérsia na literatura sobre a abordagem da condição, o presente texto objetiva revisar a literatura disponível. FONTE DE DADOS: Revisão dos estudos sobre colelitíase no paciente falciforme, publicados no período entre 1980 e 2007, em língua inglesa e portuguesa, envolvendo pacientes na faixa etária de zero a 18 anos e utilizando os bancos de dados Medline e Lilacs. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: A colelitíase é a complicação digestiva mais comum no paciente falciforme e sua incidência aumenta com a faixa etária. Os mecanismos fisiopatológicos são conhecidos, assim como os métodos diagnósticos. A conduta terapêutica consensual na colelitíase sintomática é a colecistectomia, preferencialmente por via laparoscópica. Nos casos assintomáticos, a maioria dos autores recomenda a conduta cirúrgica, para evitar complicações, confusão no diagnóstico diferencial de dor abdominal futura e menor risco cirúrgico. Contudo, não existe consenso na literatura, havendo base para a adoção de conduta expectante. CONCLUSÕES: A doença falciforme tem grandes variações em sua apresentação clinica, história natural e gravidade da hemólise. Algumas populações podem apresentar menor freqüência de colelitíase e menor número de pacientes sintomáticos, possivelmente em razão de variações de haplótipos, fatores ambientais e diferentes manejos clínicos. Ainda não existem dados suficientes na literatura ou estudos randomizados e controlados que possibilitem definir o momento ideal para a colecistectomia no paciente falciforme com litíase assintomática. Dessa maneira, dependendo de características individuais e da população, podem ser aceitos o seguimento clínico ou a indicação precoce de colecistectomia.37738

Mutation spectrum of MLL2 in a cohort of kabuki syndrome patients

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Kabuki syndrome (Niikawa-Kuroki syndrome) is a rare, multiple congenital anomalies/mental retardation syndrome characterized by a peculiar face, short stature, skeletal, visceral and dermatoglyphic abnormalities, cardiac anomalies, and immunological defects. Recently mutations in the histone methyl transferase MLL2 gene have been identified as its underlying cause. METHODS: Genomic DNAs were extracted from 62 index patients clinically diagnosed as affected by Kabuki syndrome. Sanger sequencing was performed to analyze the whole coding region of the MLL2 gene including intron-exon junctions. The putative causal and possible functional effect of each nucleotide variant identified was estimated by in silico prediction tools. RESULTS: We identified 45 patients with MLL2 nucleotide variants. 38 out of the 42 variants were never described before. Consistently with previous reports, the majority are nonsense or frameshift mutations predicted to generate a truncated polypeptide. We also identified 3 indel, 7 missense and 3 splice site. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes the relevance of mutational screening of the MLL2 gene among patients diagnosed with Kabuki syndrome. The identification of a large spectrum of MLL2 mutations possibly offers the opportunity to improve the actual knowledge on the clinical basis of this multiple congenital anomalies/mental retardation syndrome, design functional studies to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease, establish genotype-phenotype correlations and improve clinical management

Preliminary assessment on flood mitigation potential via managed aquifer recharge in the Brenta megafan (Italy)

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) design and operation must incorporate the expected long-term performance from a water quantity perspective to sustainably mitigate hydrologic impacts of groundwater overexploitation. Gravity driven infiltration ditches are one of many MAR schemes that could augment the available water resources. In the present study, an infiltration system (IS) consisting of 8 ditches was monitored to determine its hydrologic performance over time and its possible export to similar areas of the Brenta Megafan (Northern Italy). The IS displayed an almost constant capacity to infiltrate the diverted water with a total amount of 0.8 Mm3/ha/y. The good results suggest to promote this technique in other areas that suffer from groundwater resources depletion

Shallow groundwater nitrogen and denitrification in a newly afforested, subirrigated riparian buffer

1. The EU \u2018Nitrates Directive\u2019 (Directive 91\u2044 676 \u2044EEC) and the WFD (Water Framework Direc- tive 2000\u2044 60\u2044EEC) introduced a series of measures designed to reduce and prevent water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources. Therefore, there is an urgent requirement to control the nitrate concentration in freshwater. The objective of this paper was to verify the potential capacity of a specifically designed afforested riparian zone in removing the excess of nitro- gen from river water. 2. A buffer zone was set with irrigation ditches, to produce a subsurface water flow carrying water from the study river through the buffer strip to drainage ditches. This experimental system enables the co-occurrence of two main processes: vegetation\u2044microbial nitrogen uptake and denitrification. Both in situ denitrification and denitrification potential were measured at different soil depths, and nitrogen removal of water passing through the buffer system was measured. 3. After the first year, high removal rates (63\u201364%) of total nitrogen in water were recorded. The lowest rate of denitrification took place in the upper soil layer, while maximum denitrification occurred in the medium layer (40\u201355 cm). Denitrification occurred mainly in the first few metres of the irrigation ditches leading away from the river. The denitrification rates clearly increased from the second to the third year, with highest rates in summer and autumn. Denitrification potential indicated that carbon availability was the most limiting factor. 4. Synthesis and applications. This study has demonstrated that nitrogen levels can be reduced in rivers by forcing water to circulate through afforested buffers. Nitrogen was removed both by plants and by microbial denitrification. Such activity can be supported by promoting anoxic conditions through appropriate water flow management. This could be achieved by creating semi-natural floodplains where water flows can be efficiently managed as in a drained wetland

Analisi spaziale numerica dei mesohabitat fluviali: medio corso del fiume Panaro(MO)

Il Fiume Panaro presenta notevoli criticit\ue0 correlate allo sfruttamento antropico del territorio. Questo studio si pone di analizzare lo stato e la quantit\ue0 dei mesohabitat a disposizione per le comunit\ue0 fluviali utilizzando le ortofoto Quickbird 2003 ad alta risoluzione. Il processo di fotointerpretazione delle ortofoto, condotto alla scala di 1:3000, permette di caratterizzare differenti habitat. con il controllo di sopralluoghi mirati in campo. La successiva digitalizzazione degli habitat fornisce i dati per effettuare stime numeriche in modo speditivo, al fine di evidenziare le relazioni spaziali tra le artificializzazioni rilevate e la conseguente banalizzazione degli ambienti fluvial