Study of the correlation between microfauna and the macrostructure of activated sludge and the efficiency of biological wastewater treatment plants.

Assessment of protozoan populations is an important tool in evaluating the efficiency of activated sludge in the treatment of wastewater. In this process, protozoa play a significant role by grazing on dispersed bacteria, supporting a healthy food web in activated sludge artificial ecosystems. The objective of this study was to verify how the success of the purification process in activated sludge plants, mainly in terms of TSS, BOD, and COD, is related to ciliate protozoa communities and the presence of filamentous bacteria. Samples were collected from five water treatment plants in the Puglia region, in the period May 2007 - April 2008. Microfauna and filamentous bacteria were identified and quantified, and the sludge biotic index calculated. The data show a correlation between the biological components of activated sludge and traditional chemical parameters. Our results indicate that biological analyses represent a valid alternative to traditional chemical testing in assessing the performance of activated sludge systems.

Evaluation of toxic chemical parameters and ecotoxicity levels in bottled mineral waters.

Heavy metals, phthalates, characterizing elements, CO2 concentrations and pH and hardness levels were measured in forty samples of bottled mineral waters. In some samples arsenic, manganese, mercury and selenium were present in higher concentrations than permitted by Italian law. No significant release of phthalates from containers in PET was observed. In the same samples, toxicity tests with Daphnia magna were carried out. Toxicity levels, expressed as % of immobile organisms, ranged from 0 to 100%; generally the highest toxicity values were found in the hardwaters.

[Chemical-physical and microbiological survey in groundwater of Salento]. / Indagine chimico-fisica e microbiologica nelle acque della falda acquifera del Salento.

In order to know better the groundwater quality of Salento, chemical-physical and microbiological investigations were carried out on waters collected from 31 wells chosen after a preliminary study about the hydrogeologic features of the region. The analysis, conducted once in a month within the span of a year, pointed out a widespread contamination of faecal origin, which limits the employment (drinkable, irriguous) of groundwater because of possible health implications. The results of the chemical-physical analyses show how the groundwater of Salento is "contaminated" by sea water getting into the continent and which in some areas, also owing to excessive drawings, deteriorates its quality and compromises its irriguous use.

[Presence of zinc in food and diet in pediatric age]. / Presenza di zinco in alimenti e diete in età pediatrica.

The authors determined the zinc content in the foods of eight diets recommended for different groups of subjects between four and a half months and twelve years. Then the average daily intake was calculated at any age. The highest values were found in meat products, the lowest ones in fruit and vegetables. The average levels of zinc intake were almost always upper than L.A.R.N. in both male and female.

[Niemann-Pick disease type C in monozygotic twins]. / La malattia di Niemann-Pick di tipo C in gemelle monocoriali.

The Authors describe two monochorionic twins affected by Niemann-Pick disease type C with a clinical picture beginning in the neonatal age and with a progressive mental deterioration, loss of speech and spasticity started at 30 months. The importance of cultured skin fibroblasts is emphasized. The evidence of a defective intracellular cholesterol esterification is established as an intrinsic feature of Niemann-Pick disease type C.

[Growth, thyroid function, pubertal development and gonadal function in survivors of childhood brain tumors]. / Accrescimento, funzionalità tiroidea, sviluppo puberale e funzionalità gonadica in soggetti pediatrici affetti da tumore cerebrale al termine del trattamento.

The aggressive use of multiple therapeutic modalities has led to a significant increase in the number of survivors of childhood malignancy. Abnormalities of linear growth, thyroid function and sexual development are encountered often in children and adolescents following the successful treatment of brain tumours.

[Intracellular activity of Cl- measured with microelectrodes selective for Cl- in superficial epithelial cells of gastric mucosa at "rest"]. / Attivita' intracellulare del Cl- misurata con microelettrodi selettivi al Cl- in cellule superficiali epiteliali di mucosa gastrica a "riposo".

Intracellular chloride activity and the electrical membrane potential differences were determined in surface epithelial cells of frog fundic gastric mucosa in resting conditions. Separate measurements were carried out by applying single barreled, (KCl filled), conventional and liquid Cl- -selective microelectrodes. Membrane potentials with respect to the serosal (psi cs) and mucosal surfaces (psi cm) recorded with conventional microelectrodes, were -67 +/- E.S. 1.7 mV and -39.9 mV (as calculated from psi cs and psi T) respectively. The average electrical potential measured with Cl- -selective microelectrodes with respect to the serosal bath (psi Cl-cs) was -30.5 +/- E.S. 1.9 mV which yields an intracellular Cl- activity of 14 mmol/l, a value that is 2.8 times that predicted for an equilibrium distribution across the serosal membrane. On the contrary, Cl- seems to be distributed at equilibrium across the mucosal membrane. These results indicate that Cl- is accumulated across the serosal membrane into gastric cells in an energy requiring step.

[Active transport of chloride across skin isolated from Rana esculenta]. / Trasporto attivo di cloro attraverso la pelle isolata di Rana esculenta.

The effect of SITS, ouabain and acetazolamide on potential difference (E) and short-circuit current (ccc) across isolated frog skin after Amiloride treatment have been investigated. It has been found that Amiloride (3.5 . 10(-5)M) reverses the E and ccc values. After Amiloride treatment, with the use of SITS (6 . 10(-4)M) positive values of E and ccc have been measured while Ouabain (10(-4)M) only slightly reduces the reversed E and ccc values. On the other hand the effect of Acetazolamide (6 . 10(-4)M) is additional to the effect of SITS. It is suggested that the frog skin possesses an active transport for Cl-, as demonstrated by the use of Amiloride, and that it is carried out by two distinct mechanism: the first SITS and Acetazolamide sensible, the second one sensible to Strofantine.

[Effect of SITS (4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid) on the transport of chloride through the isolated skin of Rana esculenta]. / Effetto del SITS (4-acetamido-4-'isothyocyano-2,2'-disulfonic-stilbene) sul trasporto di cloro attraverso la pelle isolata di rana esculenta.

The effect of SITS (6 . 10(-4)M on transepithelial potential (E) and short circuit current (I) of isolated frog skin has been studied either using Ringer or Cl- -depleted Ringer in the outside bathing solution. SITS affects the transepithelial potential (E) and the short-circuit current (I) only if normal Ringer is used and SITS is added in the outside bathing medium. The existence of a negative exchanging-charge carrier on the external membrane of the epithelial cells is postulated. This mechanism could be a step of the actively transported Cl- ions.