Long-term investigation of methane and carbon dioxide emissions in two Italian landfills.

Landfills play a key role as greenhouse gas (GHGs) emitters, and urgently need assessment and management plans development to swiftly reduce their climate impact. In this context, accurate emission measurements from landfills under different climate and management would reduce the uncertainty in emission accounting. In this study, more than one year of long-term high-frequency data of CO2 and CH4 fluxes were collected in two Italian landfills (Giugliano and Case Passerini) with contrasting management (gas recovery VS no management) using eddy covariance (EC), with the aim to i) investigate the relation between climate drivers and CO2 and CH4 fluxes at different time intervals and ii) to assess the overall GHG balances including the biogas extraction and energy recovery components. Results indicated a higher net atmospheric CO2 source (5.7 ± 5.3 g m2 d-1) at Giugliano compared to Case Passerini (2.4 ± 4.9 g m2 d-1) as well as one order of magnitude higher atmospheric CH4 fluxes (6.0 ± 5.7 g m2 d-1 and 0.7 ± 0.6 g m2 d-1 respectively). Statistical analysis highlighted that fluxes were mainly driven by thermal variables, followed by water availability, with their relative importance changing according to the time-interval considered. The rate of change in barometric pressure (dP/dt) influenced CH4 patterns and magnitude in the classes ranging from -1.25 to +1.25 Pa h-1, with reduction when dP/dt > 0 and increase when dP/dt < 0, whilst a clear pattern was not observed when all dP/dt classes were analyzed. When including management, the total atmospheric GHG balance computed for the two landfills of Giugliano and Case Passerini was 174 g m2 d-1 and 79 g m2 d-1 respectively, of which 168 g m2 d-1 and 20 g m2 d-1 constituted by CH4 fluxes.

Gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements as proxies of X-ray resistance in Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Phaseolus vulgaris L. plants were irradiated with different doses (0.3, 10, 50 and 100 Gy) of X-rays in order to obtain a reference curve of response to ionizing radiations for this species. Growth analysis, gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements were performed to estimate the radio-resistance of bean plants. Specifically, there was a negative influence of X-rays on the net photosynthesis rate at 50 and 100 Gy, already on the day of irradiation. Experimental data showed a recovery over time in the gas exchange while the theoretical maximum photochemical efficiency of the photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was fairly constant throughout the period of measurements (20 days) and for all the experimental conditions. On the other hand, the quantum yield of PSII linear electron transport (ΦPSII) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) were deeply influenced over time by X-ray dose, suggesting a decrease in the functionality of the photosynthetic apparatus at the highest radiation doses. The growth was affected only at the highest doses of radiation with a significant and severe reduction of leaf expansion and number of leaves per plant. Despite the arrest in growth, X-ray exposure seems to trigger an increased photochemical activity probably signifying that P. vulgaris plants have a fairly elevated resistance to this kind of ionizing radiation. Our current results will provide a complete analysis of the photosystem II (PSII) response of P. vulgaris to different doses (0.3, 10, 50 and 100 Gy) of X-rays, providing sound references for both space-oriented and radioecology questions.

Platelet aggregation and haemostatic response in dogs naturally co-infected by Leishmania infantum and Ehrlichia canis.

Haemostatic alterations in dogs naturally infected by ehrlichiosis and/or leishmaniasis were studied. Platelet count, ADP and collagen-induced platelet aggregation, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and plasma fibrinogen concentration were measured. An evident reduction of platelet aggregation response was shown for Leishmania-Ehrlichia co-infected dogs where platelet aggregation was lower in comparison with control and leishmaniotic dogs (ADP and collagen, P < or = 0.01) and ehrlichiotic dogs (ADP 10 and 7.5 microm, P < or = 0.05). Moreover, a significant increase in APTT as well as a reduction of the albumin/globulin rate (A/G) for leishmaniotic and co-infected dogs versus control and ehrlichiotic dogs was detected. The hypothesis of a synergism between leishmaniosis and ehrlichiosis in altering platelet function by different pathways is discussed.

Epidemiological data of patients hospitalized with burns and other traumas in some cities in the southeast of Brazil from 1991 to 1997.

This retrospective analysis of burn patients and victims of other forms of trauma from Ribeirão Preto and nearby cities admitted to hospitals in the city of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, was carried out to determine the frequency of injuries of all types in order to identify the extent of the problem of burns relative to other forms of trauma. Data concerning 921 patients with burns and 60,344 patients with other traumatic injuries hospitalized during the period from 1991 to 1997 are described. Burns corresponded to 1.5% of the total number of traumatic injuries. When data are reported as absolute numbers or as incidence rate of hospitalized burn patients, burns were two times more frequent among men in most age groups. The case fatality ratio due to burns was 8.4% (77 deaths among 921 patients), with a rate of 6.4% for men and 12.2% for women. The case fatality ratio was higher among women than men regardless of the city of residence. The case fatality ratio was 3.2 and 4.4 times greater for men and women burn victims from other towns than for burn victims from Ribeirão Preto, indicating the need for additional equipment and training of medical and paramedical personnel in the initial measures to be taken with burn patients.

The role of environmental and occupational exposures in Turkish immigrants with fibre-related disease.

Environmental exposure to tremolite and erionite causes endemic diseases of the lung and pleura in Turkey. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of these exposures and further occupational exposures on fibre-related diseases in Turkish immigrants living in Belgium. The study included 51 males and 17 females that emigrated < 1-38 yrs ago. Most of them (n=46) had nonmalignant pleural lesions, one had asbestosis and one had mesothelioma. Environmental asbestos exposure was likely for the majority of patients (60%), but there were also reports of possible occupational asbestos (n = 14) and erionite (n = 2) exposure. Tremolite was the main fibre type in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Elevated concentrations of amosite or crocidolite were detected in only two patients. The delay elapsed since the end of the environmental exposure had no influence on the asbestos body or the tremolite fibre concentrations in the BALF of Turkish immigrants. Most fibre-related diseases in Turkish immigrants are probably due to environmental rather than occupational exposure. Precise information about geographical origin and occupation should be obtained when investigating these patients. Mineralogical analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid gives valuable information on the type and intensity of exposure, especially in patients with both environmental and occupational exposure.

[Historical trend in the occurrence of deaths in a municipality from Southern Brazil: 1936-1982]. / Tendência histórica da invasão de óbitos em Município da Região Sul do Brasil: período de 1936 a 1982.

The authors studied 33,494 deaths occurring in Londrina, State of Paraná, Brazil, from 1936 to 1982. The deaths were divided into two groups: residents and invaders, who lived outside the Londrina municipal limits. Invaders were studied as to origin, place of occurrence, cause, and diagnostic confirmation and compared with residents across proportional mortality. An attempt was made to identify a relationship between invaders' deaths and Londrina's historical development, especially migratory phenomena and health care improvements. Results showed that over the course of the period studied, most of the outsiders who had died in Londrina (over 80%) were from northern Paraná. Identification of the proportion of in-hospital deaths, diagnostic confirmation, and criteria from several chapters of the International Classification of Diseases showed that outsiders had received proportionally more medical care. Londrina's medical care attracted outsiders from the beginning of the period onward, a trend that was further consolidated after 1970.

Multicentric giant cell tumor with viral-like inclusions associated with Paget's disease of bone: a case treated by steroid therapy.

We report a case of giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) associated with Paget's disease unsuccefully treated with radiotherapy for some years but dramatically reduced in size with high dose of dexamethasone within few days. An ultrastructural study showed intranuclear virus-like inclusions in the multinucleated giant cells. The patient was then switched to prednisone plus diclofenac and he is still in almost complete remission after two years. The patient was from Avellino area, a small town in Southern Italy.

[Characteristics of the patients with head injury assisted at the Hospital das Clinicas of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School]. / Características dos pacientes com traumatismo craniencefálico atendidos no Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto.

The chart of 3468 patients with head injury assisted in the Hospital das Clínicas-Ribeirão Preto Medical School, from 1990 through 1992 were analyzed aiming to determine their main characteristics. Regarding sex, there was predominance of male. Accidental fall among children and traffic accidents among adults were the main causes of trauma. Daily distribution of assistance revealed an increase between 8 and 12 PM and during the week there was a constant flow from Tuesday to Friday and progressively increased on Saturday to Sunday. Approximately 75% of the patients presented mild head injury (score equal or superior to 13 in the Glasgow Coma Scale). Headache among children and vomiting, headache and alcoholic abuse among adults were the most frequent signs and symptoms at admission. At discharge 87.2% of patients had no symptoms and mortality was 5.7%. Peculiarities of head injury in Ribeirão Preto are discussed.

Osteomyelitis by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (South American blastomycosis): cytologic diagnosis on fine-needle aspiration biopsy smears: a case report.

A case of osteomyelitis caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis primarily diagnosed by means of fine-needle aspiration biopsy is reported here in a 60-yr-old Italian patient who had lived in Venezuela for 40 yr. The cytologic and electron microscopic features of the exudate aspirated from a left femoral osteolytic area are described, and the differential diagnosis of this mycotic infection is discussed briefly.

Dose-dependent visible effect on mice Langerhans cell membrane markers.

Ultraviolet B and psoralen plus UVA treatment induce antigenic and enzymatic changes in Langerhans cells (LC). The aim of this study was to investigate the visible (VIS) effect on mice LC surface markers. As visible source, a slide projector equipped with a 150-W tungsten lamp, emitting between 400 and 740 nm (maximum at 580 nm) was used. Mice (BALB/c and C3H) were divided into groups, each irradiated with visible single fixed doses (ranging from 10 to 1000 J/cm2). The mice backs were shaved before irradiation. Skin biopsies obtained immediately after irradiation were processed for immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Immunofluorescent studies showed: 1) a complete depletion of LC membrane markers at a dose of 700 J/cm2; 2) no effect at visible doses ranging between 0 and 75 J/cm2; 3) a dose-dependent effect with doses between 100 and 700 J/cm2. Electron microscopy revealed no cellular damage of LC at the visible doses administered.

Accuracy of clinical diagnoses in a teaching hospital: a review of 997 autopsies.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the concordance between clinical and autopsy diagnoses. DESIGN: Nine-hundred-and-ninety-seven autopsies were studied comparing the diagnoses of the autopsy requests with those of the death certificates and autopsy reports. The cases were grouped according to the 17 categories of diseases of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the concordance was analysed with the kappa (kappa) coefficient of concordance. SETTING: The Hospital da Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMRPUSP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. SUBJECTS: The patients autopsied at HCFMRPUSP during the period between 1978 and 1980. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: kappa statistics offer an alternative approach to measuring the concordance between clinical and autopsy diagnoses. RESULTS: The kappa-value obtained was equal to 0.601 with a variance of 1.545 x 10(-4) when comparing the clinical diagnoses and the autopsy diagnoses, and equal to 0.661 with a variance of 1.531 x 10(-4) comparing the clinical diagnoses with those obtained after the gross examination. These values are significant at the level of 5%, i.e. there is an overall statistical concordance between clinical and autopsy diagnoses although the value is not absolute (kappa = 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: If autopsies are heeded without bias, they will continue to give important feedback concerning medical diagnosis.

[Mortality among women of reproductive age in a urban area of the southeastern region of Brazil. Evolution in the past 20 years]. / Mortalidade feminina no período reproductivo em localidade urbana da região sudeste do Brasil. Evolução nos últimos 20 anos.

Information about women's mortality during the childbearing years has become of increasing interest in the health area in view of women's health programs. On this basis, the mortality of women aged between 15 and 49 years of the municipality of Ribeirão Preto, S. Paulo, Brazil, was studied for the period from 1985 to 1989 and compared to that of the period from 1970 to 1974. Mortality data were obtained from the civil Registry Offices of the municipality and population data were estimated on the basis of the last 2 censuses. Mortality was analyzed according to origin, marital status, seven 5-year age groups, and causes according to CID, 9th Revision, 1975. A total of 1,471 deaths occurred during the period under study, 705 of them being of town residents. The 4 major causes of residents' deaths in decreasing order of importance after calculation of proportional mortality rates, were: Chapters VII, II, XVII and I. Chapters III and V, which were very infrequent during the period from 1970 to 1974, had tended to increase owing to AIDS and chronic alcoholism, respectively. The 4 major causes continued to be the same as those of 1970, thought in a different order. The mean quinquennial death coefficients according to causes and age groups showed a gradual increase with age, more marked from 35 years on for Chapters VII, I and II. Chapter XVII showed a lower amplitude of variation from younger to older women in the periods studied. When the data were compared for a 15-year period, the general trend was a decrease in coefficient values, especially in Chapter I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bilateral and simultaneous inferior petrosal sinus sampling in the early diagnosis of an ACTH-producing pituitary microadenoma and its detection by magnetic resonance one year later.

This study describes a case of pituitary-dependent Cushing's syndrome where standard biochemical and radiological techniques were discordant in localizing the origin of the autonomous adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) hypersecretion in the pituitary. Hormonal evaluation suggested a pituitary genesis for the disease, but both sellar computed tomography and cranial magnetic resonance (MR) were unable to give clear-cut evidence for a pituitary neoplasm. Simultaneous and bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (SBIPS) correctly identified the left side of the pituitary gland as the source of autonomous ACTH production. One year later, the shaded signs of a pituitary lesion in the left side of the gland were seen with MR imaging, and a 0.5-cm in height adenoma was surgically removed. At the 2-year follow-up the patient's symptoms had completely disappeared, and her menses were restored. In this case, SBIPS correctly diagnosed the presence of an ACTH-secreting pituitary microadenoma one year before shaded signs of the pituitary lesion appeared with MR imaging. This is a clear-cut demonstration of the accuracy of the SBIPS technique in localizing small pituitary lesions.

High-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the breast. Fine needle aspiration cytology and clinicopathologic study of a case.

A primary high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the breast was evaluated preoperatively by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology in a 72-year-old woman. The smears showed a mixed pattern consisting of clusters of poorly differentiated squamous cells, keratinized squamous cells and vacuolated mucin-secreting cells. The subsequent mastectomy specimen showed a tumor with the features of a high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Electron microscopy confirmed the diagnosis, reflecting the epidermoid and glandular differentiation of the tumor. The course was rapidly fatal, and the patient died a few months after presentation. A review of the literature indicated that mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the breast is a very rare neoplasm; the FNA cytologic features described in this report may constitute a basis to preoperatively recognize this tumor.

Hyperthyroidism due to a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-secreting pituitary adenoma associated with functional hyperprolactinaemia. A case report.

This paper reports the case of a 31-year-old woman with hyperthyroidism, increased TSH and thyroid hormone levels, evidence of a pituitary adenoma, hyperprolactinaemia, amenorrhoea, and galactorrhoea. Following trans-sphenoidal pituitary adenomectomy, mild hyperthyroidism and increased TSH and alpha subunit levels persisted, whereas hyperprolactinaemia, amenorrhoea, and galactorrhoea disappeared. Serum TSH levels were not affected by administration of TRH, metochlopramide, domperidone, l-dopa or somatostatin. Serum TSH chromatography showed a normal pattern. Following a second trans-sphenoidal pituitary adenomectomy and radiotherapy, hyperthyroidism disappeared, and the TSH and alpha subunit levels returned to normal. Light microscopy showed no specific TSH immunostaining although electron microscopy revealed numerous secretory granules alined along the plasma membrane. The post-operative follow-up confirmed the presence of a TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma associated to functional hyperprolactinaemia.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of soft tissue. Fine needle aspiration cytology, histology, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry of a case.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is an unusual vascular tumor with a borderline biologic behavior that usually involves the soft tissue of the extremities of adults. Such a neoplasm studied by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology, histology, electron microscopy (EM) and immunohistochemistry in a 45-year-old woman is reported. The needle aspirate readily showed the characteristic epithelioid endothelial cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm, prominent cytoplasmic vacuolization and intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions seen in the histologic preparations, indicating the possible contribution of FNA cytology to the recognition of this neoplasm. The EM and immunohistochemical studies proved the endothelial nature of the epithelioid-appearing cells comprising the tumor.