Dataset on the RETRO-BMC cruise onboard the R/V Hespérides, April 2017, Brazil-Malvinas Confluence.

This dataset, gathered during the RETRO-BMC cruise, reports multiple-scale measurements at the Confluence of the Brazil and Malvinas Currents. The cruise was carried out between 8 and 28 April 2017 onboard R/V Hespérides, departing from Ushuaia and arriving to Santos. Along its track, the vessel recorded near-surface temperature and salinity, as well as the horizontal flow from 20 m down to about 800 m. A total of 33 hydrographic stations were completed in a region off the Patagonian Shelf, within 41.2°S-35.9°S and out to 53.0°W. At each station, a multiparametric probe and velocity sensors were deployed inside the frame of a rosette used to collect water samples at selected depths; these samples were later used for several water analyses, including inorganic nutrient concentrations. Microstructure measurements were carried out in 11 of these hydrographic stations. In addition, two high-resolution three-dimensional surveys were conducted with an instrumented undulating vehicle between 40.6°S-39.0°S and 55.6°W-53.8°W. Lastly, eight high-frequency vertical profilers were deployed in the region and five position-transmitting drifters were launched. These data allow the description of the Confluence from the regional scale to the microscale, and provide a view of the variability of the frontal region on time scales from days to weeks.

Dataset on the TIC-MOC cruise onboard the R/V Hespérides, March 2015, Brazil-Malvinas Confluence.

This oceanographic dataset was gathered during the TIC-MOC cruise, which was designed to characterize the dynamics of the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence. The cruise was carried on board the R/V Hespérides, with departure from Ushuaia and arrival to Salvador de Bahía. A total of 66 conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) stations were completed between 8 and 22 March 2015, offshore from the continental platform and within 45°S-35°S and 61°W-50°W. At each station, water samples were collected, which were used to calibrate the CTD salinity-oxygen sensors and to determine inorganic nutrient concentrations, and the horizontal current was measured. Along its track, the vessel recorded surface temperature and salinity, as well as the horizontal flow down to about 700 m. Lastly, eight position-transmitting drifters were launched and two profiling floats were deployed and later recovered.

Birth defects in medically assisted reproduction pregnancies in the city of Barcelona.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between the use of medically assisted reproduction (MAR) and birth defects (BD) in newborns and terminations of pregnancy in pregnant women registered in Barcelona in the period 1992 to 2007. METHODS: We studied 1905 cases and 2722 controls in a retrospective population-based case-control study. Cases comprised any newborn presenting at least one major BD, as well as any pregnancy terminated because of BD. Controls were newborns without BD. Exposure was MAR. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by means of logistic regression to assess the association. RESULTS: The MAR was demonstrated to be associated with BD, after adjusting for probable confounders (aOR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.4 to 2.5). Regarding MAR modalities, this association was statistically significant only for assisted reproduction techniques (ART) (aOR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.8 to 4.1). In the stratified analysis by structural BD categories, frequencies for all categories were increased after ART with the exception of head-face-neck-eye defects, none after artificial insemination, and digestive-abdominal wall defects in ovulation induction. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a strong association between ART and BD, with an almost threefold increased risk for overall BD after ART, as compared with natural conception. Increased associations were also observed for almost all structural BD categories.

Recent decrease in the prevalence of congenital heart defects in Europe.

OBJECTIVES: To examine trends in the prevalence of congenital heart defects (CHDs) in Europe and to compare these trends with the recent decrease in the prevalence of CHDs in Canada (Quebec) that was attributed to the policy of mandatory folic acid fortification. STUDY DESIGN: We used data for the period 1990-2007 for 47 508 cases of CHD not associated with a chromosomal anomaly from 29 population-based European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies registries in 16 countries covering 7.3 million births. We estimated trends for all CHDs combined and separately for 3 severity groups using random-effects Poisson regression models with splines. RESULTS: We found that the total prevalence of CHDs increased during the 1990s and the early 2000s until 2004 and decreased thereafter. We found essentially no trend in total prevalence of the most severe group (group I), whereas the prevalence of severity group II increased until about 2000 and decreased thereafter. Trends for severity group III (the most prevalent group) paralleled those for all CHDs combined. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CHDs decreased in recent years in Europe in the absence of a policy for mandatory folic acid fortification. One possible explanation for this decrease may be an as-yet-undocumented increase in folic acid intake of women in Europe following recommendations for folic acid supplementation and/or voluntary fortification. However, alternative hypotheses, including reductions in risk factors of CHDs (eg, maternal smoking) and improved management of maternal chronic health conditions (eg, diabetes), must also be considered for explaining the observed decrease in the prevalence of CHDs in Europe or elsewhere.