Determination of ecologically sensitive areas in Denizli province using geographic information systems (GIS) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP).

Ecological sensitivity is defined as the ecosystem's reaction to environmental change caused by internal and external factors. The degree of ecological sensitivity varies in spatial dimension depending on the natural and cultural features. Ecological sensitivity analysis is based on basis of mapping these differences. As a result of the analysis, an important data that can be a base for spatial plans at different scales is provided. In accordance with this aim, Denizli province was selected for the study area in this research. The factors affecting sensitivity were determined by the literature survey, which was conducted by considering the characteristics of the study area. In this context, elevation, slope, aspect, the proximity to water surface, land cover, and vegetation coverage were evaluated as natural factors, and the proximity to primary traffic roads and residential areas as cultural factors. Each factor was spatially grouped by means of geographic information systems (GIS) according to the degree of impact on ecological sensitivity. Scale 1 (lowest ecological sensitivity) to 5 (highest ecological sensitivity) was used for the spatial grouping. A analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to weight the factors. The overlay method was used in line with the weighted scores in order to determine the composite ecological sensitivity. As a result of the study, the area of 286.26 sq km (2.37%) as highly and more sensitive, 5267.47 sq km (43.50%) as moderately sensitive, and 6554.56 sq km (54.13%) as mildly and less sensitive was determined. In line with the results, suggestions for protection-utilization balance were developed.

First indications that northern bottlenose whales are sensitive to behavioural disturbance from anthropogenic noise.

Although northern bottlenose whales were the most heavily hunted beaked whale, we have little information about this species in its remote habitat of the North Atlantic Ocean. Underwater anthropogenic noise and disruption of their natural habitat may be major threats, given the sensitivity of other beaked whales to such noise disturbance. We attached dataloggers to 13 northern bottlenose whales and compared their natural sounds and movements to those of one individual exposed to escalating levels of 1-2 kHz upsweep naval sonar signals. At a received sound pressure level (SPL) of 98 dB re 1 µPa, the whale turned to approach the sound source, but at a received SPL of 107 dB re 1 µPa, the whale began moving in an unusually straight course and then made a near 180° turn away from the source, and performed the longest and deepest dive (94 min, 2339 m) recorded for this species. Animal movement parameters differed significantly from baseline for more than 7 h until the tag fell off 33-36 km away. No clicks were emitted during the response period, indicating cessation of normal echolocation-based foraging. A sharp decline in both acoustic and visual detections of conspecifics after exposure suggests other whales in the area responded similarly. Though more data are needed, our results indicate high sensitivity of this species to acoustic disturbance, with consequent risk from marine industrialization and naval activity.

A DXA study of muscle-bone relationships in the whole body and limbs of 2512 normal men and pre- and post-menopausal women.

A whole-body DXA study of 1450 healthy Caucasian individuals [Bone 22 (1998) 683] found that mineral mass, either crude (BMC) or statistically adjusted to fat mass (FM-adjusted BMC), correlated linearly with lean mass (LM, proportional to muscle mass). The results showed similar slopes but decreasing intercepts (ordinate values) in the order: pre-MP women > men > post-MP women > children. This supports the hypothesis that sex hormones influence the control of bone status by muscle strength in all species. Now we further study those relationships in 2512 healthy Hispanic adults (307 men, 753 pre-MP women, 1452 post-MP women), including separate determinations in their upper and lower limbs. The slopes of the BMC or FM-adjusted BMC vs. LM relationships were parallel in all the studied regions. However, region-related differences were found between the ordinates of the curves. In the whole body, the crude-BMC/LM relationships showed the same ordinate differences as previously observed. In the lower limbs, those differences were smaller in magnitude but highly significant, showing the order: pre-MP women > men = post-MP women. In the upper limbs, the decreasing ordinate order was: men > pre-MP women > post-MP women. After fat adjustment of the BMC, order in both limbs was: men > pre-MP women > post-MP women. Parallelism of the curves was maintained in all cases. LM had a larger independent influence on these results than FM, body weight, or age. The parallelism of the curves supports the idea that a common biomechanical control of bones by muscles occurs in humans. Results suggest that sex-hormone-associated differences in DXA-assessed muscle-bone proportionality in humans could vary according to the region studied. This could be related to the different weight-bearing nature of the musculoskeletal structures studied. Besides the obvious anthropometric associations, FM would exert a mechanical effect as a component of body weight, evident in the lower limbs, while muscle contractions would induce a more significant, dynamical effect in both lower and upper limbs. Muscles seem to exert a larger influence than FM, body weight, and age on BMC in the whole body and lower limbs, regardless of the gender and reproductive status of the individual. The muscle-bone relationships studied may provide a rationale for a future differential diagnosis between disuse-related and other types of osteopenia.

Bone-mass peak in multiparity and reduced risk of bone-fractures in menopause.

OBJECTIVES: Pregnancy has been proposed as a risk factor for the development of osteoporosis; however, the results are controversial. Women in Colombia are multiparous, and therefore they represent an ideal population for the investigation of the effect of parity on osteoporosis. METHODS: The study included 1855 post-menopausal Hispanic women from Barranquilla, Colombia who were referred to our osteoporosis clinic for a routine evaluation of their bone mineral status. Bone mineral density (BMD, g/cm(2)) was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Total body, femoral and lumbar areas were scanned. RESULTS: BMD of total body, hip and legs (P<0.0001), Ward's area (P<0.002) and intertrochanteric area (P<0.003) was high in women with at least one delivery in comparison with nulliparous women. Total mineral and calcium body contents were also high in women after second delivery. A history of fractures was found in 22.9% (n=425) of the study women. The relative risk for bone-fractures was high (O.R. 0.41; P<0.000002) in nulliparous women in comparison to multiparous women. In addition, osteopenia (O.R. 2.01; P=0.008) and osteoporosis (O.R. 3.99; P=0.0004) were most often present in nulliparous women in comparison to multiparous women. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancies in this population appear to be a protective factor against development of osteoporosis. The increase in total mineral and calcium contents was related to the number of pregnancies, suggesting the existence of a bone mass peak during pregnancy.

Hormone replacement therapy for bone protection in multiparous women: when to initiate it.

OBJECTIVE: Hormone replacement therapy is used in postmenopausal women to improve symptoms of menopause and to protect bone and the cardiovascular system. We have evaluated the effects of parity in terms of number of deliveries on bone density and fracture risk at different ages. STUDY DESIGN: We evaluated 1875 Hispanic women > or =50 years old (61.3 +/- 8.3 years), 425 with a history of nonselective fractures and 1450 without previous fractures. Body mass index was 27.3 +/- 4.3 kg/m(2). Bone mineral densities were determined for the total body in 1468 cases, the femur in 221 cases, and the lumbar spine in 189 cases. Women were classified according to lifetime number of deliveries (from 0 to > or =5), and bone mineral densities and odds ratios for fracture risk were calculated relative to the number of deliveries. RESULTS: Bone mineral densities in total body, pelvis, and legs and total calcium and total mineral contents increased (P <.001) with > or =2 deliveries among women 50 to 59 years old but not among those > or =70 years old. The prevalence of fractures was higher in nulliparous than in multiparous women at all ages. Fracture risk was lower in multiparous women at all age groups, including those > or =70 years old (odds ratio, 0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.84; P <.006). CONCLUSION: Bone mineral density increases with the number of deliveries until the age of 69 years. Fracture prevalence and fracture risk are lower among multiparous women even at older ages. These findings suggest that hormone replacement therapy can be delayed until 65 years of age for multiparous women but should be initiated at the beginning of menopause for nulliparous women.

Effect of thyroid replacement therapy on the stature of Colombian children with minimal thyroid dysfunction.

The effect of thyroid replacement therapy (TRT) was evaluated in 372 children with minimal thyroid dysfunction (MTD; augmented TSH response to TRH, deficient iodine consumption, goiter, short stature and retarded bone age), by comparison of pre- with post-observation height in periods of 6 months with and without TRT alternated. A significant (P < 0.05) height recovery was observed when children received TRT; however, during the period without TRT they showed a negative height recovery. Additionally, we followed 51 children with MTD who were observed from Tanner I until final height. The group with L-thyroxine (n = 43) during all follow-up (97 months) showed an important recovery in height (SDS-H = 1.67 +/- 0.93 vs. 1.08 +/- 0.74) which when compared with the untreated group (n = 8; 114 months; SDS-H = -1.50 +/- 0.83 vs. -1.93 +/- 0.33) was significant (P < 0.001).

Probable pituitary adenoma with adrenocorticotropin hypersecretion (corticotropinoma) secondary to Addison's disease.

A 50-yr-old woman with Addison's disease from the age of 14 yr was diagnosed as empty sella turcica in 1974 (Rev Clin Esp 139: 183, 1975). She subsequently continued with hyperpigmentation in spite of adequate hormone substitution therapy which permitted her to lead a normal life. When studied she showed an extreme elevation of plasma ACTH (1500--2000 pg/ml), and with dexamethasone (2 and 8 mg/day) continued to have levels of 900 pg/ml. With 60 mg hydrocortisone daily, effects of overdosage were observed (swelling and Cushingoid facies) associated with depigmentation. However, she continued to manifest levels of plasma ACTH of 700 pg/ml and an absence of circadian rhythm. It seems likely that this patient represents a case of pituitary ACTH secretory adenoma (corticotropinoma) secondary to the preexisting Addison's disease. The circulating levels of other pituitary hormones were normal.