Immunotoxicity of the xenoestrogen 4-nonylphenol to the cockle Cerastoderma glaucum

The in vivo effects of 4-nonylphenol (NP) on functional responses of haemocytes from the cockle Cerastoderma glaucum were investigated after 7 days exposure to sublethal NP concentrations (0, 0+acetone, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 mg/l NP). Haemocytes from both controls and exposed cockles were collected, and the effects of NP on total haemocyte count (THC) and volume of circulating cells, intracellular superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) levels, acid phosphatase and lysozyme-like activities in both haemocyte lysate (HL) and cell-free haemolymph (CFH) were evaluated. Exposure of cockles to 0.1mg/l NP significantly increased THC (p<0.05) with respect to controls. Analysis of haemocyte size frequency distribution showed that the haemocyte fraction of about 7-8 microm in diameter and 250 femtolitres in volume increased markedly in cockles exposed to the highest NP concentration tested. Apoptosis resulting in cell volume reduction in NP-exposed animals cannot be excluded. No statistically significant variation in intracellular O(2)(-) levels was observed. Conversely, significant increases (p<0.05) in acid phosphatase activity were observed in CFH from 0.05 and 0.1mg/l NP-exposed animals; no significant differences in enzyme activity were recorded in HL. Lysozyme-like activity also increased significantly in CFH from cockles exposed to 0.05 mg/l NP (p<0.05) and 0.1 mg/l NP (p<0.001). Instead, lysozyme-like activity decreased significantly (p<0.05) in the HL of animals exposed to 0.05 mg/lNP. Our results suggest that NP induces variations in the functional responses of haemocytes of C. glaucum, mainly by reducing cell membrane stability and promoting cell degranulation.     

Geological controls on groundwater chemistry and arsenic mobilization: Hydrogeochemical study along an E–W transect in the Meghna basin, Bangladesh

Hydrogeochemical investigations along an E–W transect in the middle Meghna basin show groundwater chemistry and redox condition vary considerably with the change in geology. Groundwater in the Holocene shallow (<150 m bgl) alluvial aquifer in western part of the transect is affected by high arsenic concentration (As > 10 μg/l) and salinity. On the other hand, groundwater from the Pliocene Dupi Tila sandy aquifer in the eastern part is fresh and low in As (<10 μg/l). The Holocene shallow aquifers are high in dissolved As, , Fe and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), but generally low in and . High concentrations (250–716 mg/l) together with high DOC concentrations (1.4–21.7 mg/l) in these aquifers reflect active sources of degradable natural organic matter that drives the biogeochemical process. There is generally de-coupling of As from other redox-sensitive elements. In contrast, the Pliocene aquifers are low in As, and DOC. Molar ratio of /H₄SiO₄ suggests that silicate weathering is dominant in the deeper Holocene aquifers and in the Pliocene aquifers. Molar ratios of Cl⁻/ and Na⁺/Cl⁻ suggest mixing of relict seawater with the fresh water as the origin of groundwater salinity. Speciation calculations show that saturation indices for siderite and rhodochrosite vary significantly between the Holocene and Pliocene aquifers. Stable isotopes (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) in groundwater indicate rapid infiltration without significant effects of evaporation. The isotopic data also indicates groundwater recharge from monsoonal precipitation with some impact of altitude effect at the base of the Tripura Hills in the east. The results of the study clearly indicate geological control (i.e. change in lithofacies) on groundwater chemistry and distribution of redox-sensitive elements such as As along the transect.     

Hydrogeochemistry and strontium isotopes in the Arno River Basin (Tuscany, Italy): Constraints on natural controls by statistical modeling

In this paper the chemistry of major and trace elements and, for the first time, strontium isotopic ratios measured in running waters from the Arno River Basin (Tuscany, central-northern Italy) and thermal springs discharging in the same hydrographic system are presented and discussed. Classical graphical methods (e.g. mixing diagrams) have here been improved to identify, in a correct statistical sample space, extreme chemical compositions attributable to the action of geochemical processes and/or inherited from specific lithologies (namely contributions or components 1, 2 and 3) to be used in inverse modeling procedures, due to the absence of clear end-members. A linear least squares problem, with non-negativity constraints and distances, as required for compositional data (convex linear mixing) was solved by considering the contribution of the most discriminant variables given by the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotopic ratios and the concentration of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Sr and Rb. Following such approach, it can be assumed (p < 0.05) that component 1, characterized by a Ca²⁺(Mg²⁺)– radiogenic-rich (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.71274; Rb/Sr = 0.039), represents a dominant feature at basin scale, with a weight ranging from 69% to 100%. Much lower percentages are related to component 2, represented by a Ca²⁺(Mg²⁺)– facies with intermediate ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.70874) and low Rb/Sr (2.8 × 10⁻⁴) ratios and component 3, identified by Ca²⁺– facies with less radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.70827) and low Mg²⁺/Ca²⁺ (0.011) ratios. These components are mainly dominated by the dissolution of evaporitic rocks and/or mixing with thermal waters in the southern part of the Arno River Basin and by dissolution of the carbonatic fraction, kinetically favored with respect to that of the silicatic minerals, in the upper reaches of the main course and its tributaries, respectively.     

Lethal and estrogenic effects of 4-nonylphenol in the cockle Cerastoderma glaucum

The lethal and sublethal effects of the xenoestrogen 4-nonylphenol (NP) were evaluated in the cockle Cerastoderma glaucum. In a 96-h lethality test, bivalves were exposed to 0, 0+ acetone, 0.19, 0.38, 0.75, 1.5 and 3.0 mg NP/l. The 96-h LC₅₀ value was 0.3 mg NP/l. No mortality was observed at 0.1 mg NP/l. The potential estrogenicity of NP was studied in both sexually undifferentiated (resting phase) and differentiated (pre-spawning phase) cockles, exposed for 7 and 14 days to 0, 0+ acetone, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.05, and 0.1 mg NP/l. Vitellogenin (Vg)-like protein levels were determined in both haemolymph and digestive gland by the alkali-labile phosphate (ALP) assay. In the resting phase, exposure for 7 days to 0.1 mg NP/l resulted in significant increases in ALP in both haemolymph and digestive gland, compared with controls. A significant increase was also observed in digestive gland of animals exposed to 0.0125 mg NP/l-exposed animals. After 14 days of exposure, haemolymph ALP levels were significantly increased in exposed animals at all NP concentrations tested, whereas no difference was recorded in digestive gland. In the pre-spawning phase, exposure for 7 days to NP significantly increased ALP levels in haemolymph from males exposed at all NP concentrations tested, whereas no significant variations were found in haemolymph from females. NP (0.05 and 0.1 mg/l) was also shown to increase ALP concentrations significantly in digestive gland of males, but not in those of females. Likewise, after 14 days’ exposure, ALP levels significantly increased in haemolymph from males only at 0.1 mg NP/l. Conversely, NP caused significant increases in ALP levels in digestive gland from both males (at all NP concentrations tested) and females (at 0.025 and 0.1 mg NP/l). These results demonstrate that NP induces Vg synthesis in C. glaucum. Interestingly, males were more responsive to NP than females.     

Long-period planetary waves in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere above Davis, Antarctica

The accumulation of MF radar wind and hydroxyl temperature measurements at Davis from 1997 to 2005 has enabled the compilation of a climatology of long-period (period >1 day) wave activity. A time domain filtering technique that makes allowance for the differing sampling characteristics of the measurements is described and wave amplitudes are presented for 1.7–4, 4–8 and 8–16 day period bands. Product averages of the time series yield horizontal heat and momentum fluxes for the height of the hydroxyl layer (approximately 86 km). The climatology is then discussed in terms of current knowledge of planetary wave characteristics and forcing. Heat and momentum fluxes during the year of the southern hemisphere stratospheric warming (2002) are also presented.     

Spatio-temporal patterns of throughfall and solute deposition in an open tropical rain forest

The brief interaction of precipitation with a forest canopy can create a high spatial variability of both throughfall and solute deposition. We hypothesized that (i) the variability in natural forest systems is high but depends on system-inherent stability, (ii) the spatial variability of solute deposition shows seasonal dynamics depending on the increase in rainfall frequency, and (iii) spatial patterns persist only in the short-term. The study area in the north-western Brazilian state of Rondônia is subject to a climate with a distinct wet and dry season. We collected rain and throughfall on an event basis during the early wet season (n = 14) and peak of the wet season (n = 14) and analyzed the samples for pH and concentrations of , Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, , and DOC. The coefficient of variation for throughfall based on both sampling intervals was 29%, which is at the lower end of values reported from other tropical forest sites, but which is higher than in most temperate forests. Coefficients of variation of solute deposition ranged from 29% to 52%. This heterogeneity of solute deposition is neither particularly high nor particularly low compared with a range of tropical and temperate forest ecosystems. We observed an increase in solute deposition variability with the progressing wet season, which was explained by a negative correlation between heterogeneity of solute deposition and antecedent dry period. The temporal stability of throughfall patterns was low during the early wet season, but gained in stability as the wet season progressed. We suggest that rapid plant growth at the beginning of the rainy season is responsible for the lower stability, whereas less vegetative activity during the later rainy season might favor the higher persistence of “hot” and “cold” spots of throughfall quantities. The relatively high stability of throughfall patterns during later stages of the wet season may influence processes at the forest floor and in the soil. Solute deposition patterns showed less clear trends but all patterns displayed a short-term stability only. The weak stability of those patterns is apt to impede the formation of solute deposition-induced biochemical microhabitats in the soil.     

Effects of the number of stations and time resolution on derivation

For at least 30 years now it has been well known that the Dst index can be modelled using the solar wind as input. Since then, many attempts have been made to improve the predictability of Dst using different approaches. These attempts are useful, for instance, to understand which features of the solar wind–magnetosphere interactions are most important in producing magnetospheric activity and how the Dst index would improve the space weather forecast. The Dst index is by far the most reliable and simple indication that a magnetic storm is in progress. In this work, the effect of using more than four magnetic stations and shorter time intervals than the hourly averages used in Sugiura's procedures is evaluated. The discussion is based on the results presented by Burton in 1975 and Feldstein in 1984 considering 4 or 12 magnetic stations and time averages of 2.5 min for a magnetic disturbed period that occurred from February 7–28, 1967, including two geomagnetic storms. The analysis has shown that the global representation of a magnetic storm by the standard Dst (Sugiura) is well preserved either using 4, 6, 12 magnetic stations or using 1 h, 2.5 min 1 min averages. A brief review of the current understanding of Dst has been included to support the discussions. The analysis performed has shown that a more refined Dst index (time and number of stations>4) would be useful to investigate the intrinsic processes and the different current systems involved in the ring current development during magnetic storms; the standard Dst, as it is conceived, is quite adequate to monitor geomagnetic storms and identify their overall features; concerning the magnetic stations normally considered, the inclusion of higher magnetic latitude stations (>35) may underestimate the observed Dst.     

Lethal and estrogenic effects of 4-nonylphenol in the cockle Cerastoderma glaucum

The lethal and sublethal effects of the xenoestrogen 4-nonylphenol (NP) were evaluated in the cockle Cerastoderma glaucum. In a 96-h lethality test, bivalves were exposed to 0, 0+ acetone, 0.19, 0.38, 0.75, 1.5 and 3.0 mg NP/l. The 96-h LC₅₀ value was 0.3 mg NP/l. No mortality was observed at 0.1 mg NP/l. The potential estrogenicity of NP was studied in both sexually undifferentiated (resting phase) and differentiated (pre-spawning phase) cockles, exposed for 7 and 14 days to 0, 0+ acetone, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.05, and 0.1 mg NP/l. Vitellogenin (Vg)-like protein levels were determined in both haemolymph and digestive gland by the alkali-labile phosphate (ALP) assay. In the resting phase, exposure for 7 days to 0.1 mg NP/l resulted in significant increases in ALP in both haemolymph and digestive gland, compared with controls. A significant increase was also observed in digestive gland of animals exposed to 0.0125 mg NP/l-exposed animals. After 14 days of exposure, haemolymph ALP levels were significantly increased in exposed animals at all NP concentrations tested, whereas no difference was recorded in digestive gland. In the pre-spawning phase, exposure for 7 days to NP significantly increased ALP levels in haemolymph from males exposed at all NP concentrations tested, whereas no significant variations were found in haemolymph from females. NP (0.05 and 0.1 mg/l) was also shown to increase ALP concentrations significantly in digestive gland of males, but not in those of females. Likewise, after 14 days’ exposure, ALP levels significantly increased in haemolymph from males only at 0.1 mg NP/l. Conversely, NP caused significant increases in ALP levels in digestive gland from both males (at all NP concentrations tested) and females (at 0.025 and 0.1 mg NP/l). These results demonstrate that NP induces Vg synthesis in C. glaucum. Interestingly, males were more responsive to NP than females.     

Surface-to-base amplification evaluated from KiK-net vertical array strong motion records

Site amplification defined as the peak value of spectrum ratio was investigated using surface and base accelerations recorded in a number of KiK-net down-hole arrays in Japan during three major earthquakes. An important task was to determine the spectral amplifications relative to outcropping motions with the aid of the down-hole array records. Based on soil data available for individual arrays, theoretical amplifications were calculated and adjusted to coincide with the peak amplifications of the array records. A good and unique correlation was found between the peak amplifications thus obtained and S-wave velocity ratios, defined by S-wave velocity in base layer divided by average S-wave velocity , for different sites and different earthquakes. The value of was evaluated from fundamental mode frequency and the thickness of an equivalent surface layer in which peak amplification is exerted. The conventional parameter V_s30; averaged shear wave velocity in the top 30 m used in current design codes, did not correlate well with the obtained amplifications. It is suggested that may be determined not only from V_s-logging data but also from microtremor measurements.     

Mechanisms controlling the air–sea flux in the North Sea

The mechanisms driving the air–sea exchange of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the North Sea are investigated using the three-dimensional coupled physical–biogeochemical model ECOHAM (ECOlogical-model, HAMburg). We validate our simulations using field data for the years 2001–2002 and identify the controls of the air–sea CO₂ flux for two locations representative for the North Sea's biogeochemical provinces. In the seasonally stratified northern region, net CO₂ uptake is high () due to high net community production (NCP) in the surface water. Overflow production releasing semi-labile dissolved organic carbon needs to be considered for a realistic simulation of the low dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations observed during summer. This biologically driven carbon drawdown outcompetes the temperature-driven rise in CO₂ partial pressure (pCO₂) during the productive season. In contrast, the permanently mixed southern region is a weak net CO₂ source (). NCP is generally low except for the spring bloom because remineralization parallels primary production. Here, the pCO₂ appears to be controlled by temperature.     

Monitoring the water balance of Lake Victoria, East Africa, from space

Using satellite gravimetric and altimetric data, we examine trends in water storage and lake levels of multiple lakes in the Great Rift Valley region of East Africa for the years 2003–2008. GRACE total water storage estimates reveal that water storage declined in much of East Africa, by as much as , while altimetric data show that lake levels in some large lakes dropped by as much as 1–2 m. The largest declines occurred in Lake Victoria, the Earth’s second largest freshwater body. Because the discharge from the outlet of Lake Victoria is used to generate hydroelectric power, the role of human management in the lake’s decline has been questioned. By comparing catchment water storage trends to lake level trends, we confirm that climatic forcing explains only about 50decline. This analysis provides an independent means of assessing the relative impacts of climate and human management on the water balance of Lake Victoria that does not depend on observations of dam discharge, which may not be publically available. In the second part of the study, the individual components of the lake water balance are estimated. Satellite estimates of changes in lake level, precipitation, and evaporation are used with observed lake discharge to develop a parameterization for estimating subsurface inflows due to changes in groundwater storage estimated from satellite gravimetry. At seasonal timescales, this approach provides closure to Lake Victoria’s water balance to within . The third part of this study uses the water balance of a downstream water body, Lake Kyoga, to estimate the outflow from Lake Victoria remotely. Because Lake Kyoga is roughly 20 times smaller in area than Lake Victoria, its water balance is strongly influenced by inflow from Lake Victoria. Lake Kyoga has been shown to act as a linear reservoir, where its outflow is proportional to the height of the lake. This model can be used with satellite altimetric lake levels to estimate a time series of Lake Victoria discharge with an rms error of about .     

Evidence for the stimulation of field-aligned electron density irregularities on a short time scale by ionospheric topside sounders

Ionospheric topside sounders can be considered to act as mobile ionospheric heating facilities. They stimulate a wide variety of plasma phenomena that suggests that significant plasma heating can be produced in the vicinity of the spacecraft following the short duration (0.1 ms) high-power (hundreds of watts) sounder pulse. Most of these phenomena are sensitive to the ambient plasma conditions, particularly to the ratio of the plasma frequency to the gyro frequency . Certain stimulated phenomena only occur, or are greatly enhanced, when where n is an integer. One example is a diffuse signal return that appears at a frequency just above the Z mode wave cutoff frequency (the L = 0 condition in the notation of Stix). This signal, which is the subject of the present paper, is present only for moderately large near-integer values for (e.g., n > 3). It is a relatively short-duration echo—usually less than about 10 ms. These characteristics are quite different from the Z mode echoes often observed between or (whichever is greater) and the upper hybrid frequency . These latter echoes occur for smaller values (not necessarily near-integer values) of and are received during the entire 30 ms listening time period following the sounder pulse. They have been attributed to the scattering of sounder Z mode signals from naturally occurring electron density fieldaligned irregularities (FAI). The short-duration echoes observed just above , on the other hand, are here attributed to the ducting of sounder-generated Z mode waves in sounder-stimulated (or sounderenhanced) FAI. These FAI are believed to be generated (or enhanced) on a very short time scale (? 1 s) by the efficient absorption of sounder energy when the plasma/gyro frequency ratio is nearly an integer value significantly greater than one. The most likely generation process is the filamentation instability driven by the ponderomotive force due to the high-power sounder pulse.     

Studies on turbulent diffusion processes and evaluation of diffusivity values from hydrodynamic observations in Corpus Christi Bay

The physical process of dispersion which can be attributed to turbulence (turbulent diffusion) or shear (shear-augmented diffusion) within the flow field is very important as it ultimately governs the distribution of constituents of interest within the environment. A series of diffusion experiments were conducted in Corpus Christi Bay, TX with the purpose of characterizing turbulent diffusion through dispersion coefficients or turbulent diffusivity, K_i (i=x, y, z) dependent on the degree of randomness or turbulence intensity, I.Measured with a boat-mounted acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP), the Eulerian velocity time-series of fluid particles in random motion, u_i was used in the evaluation of the Eulerian time-scale of turbulence, T^E based on the velocity correlation function, R^E with T^E being related to the Lagrangian time-scale T^L through a scaling parameter, β(=T^L/T^E). Surface currents were obtained with high frequency (HF) Radar equipment deployed over the study area from which the horizontal velocity gradients were determined.Within the spatial scale of the experiment (1000 m), the observed low horizontal gradients (10⁻⁴ s⁻¹) allowed for the generation of velocity time-series from an ADCP mounted on a moving platform. A numerical scheme for evaluating turbulent diffusivity values was developed on the basis of Eulerian current measurements and calibrated through the statistics of an evolving dye patch for the scaling parameter β which in this scheme was found to be in the range 1–3.     

New model simulations of the global atmospheric electric circuit driven by thunderstorms and electrified shower clouds: The roles of lightning and sprites

Several processes acting below, in and above thunderstorms and in electrified shower clouds drive upward currents which close through the global atmospheric electric circuit. These are all simulated in a novel way using the software package PSpice. A moderate negative cloud-to-ground lightning discharge from the base of a thunderstorm increases the ionospheric potential above the thundercloud by 0.0013%. Assuming the ionosphere to be an equipotential surface, this discharge increases the current flowing in the global circuit and the fair-weather electric field also by 0.0013%. A moderate positive cloud-to-ground lightning discharge from the bottom of a thunderstorm decreases the ionospheric potential by 0.014%. Such a discharge may trigger a sprite, causing the ionospheric potential to decrease by . The time scales for the recovery of the ionospheric potential are shown to be , which is of the same order as the CR time constant for the global circuit. Knowing the global average rate of lightning discharges, it is found that negative cloud-to-ground discharges increase the ionospheric potential by only 4%, and that positive cloud-to-ground discharges reduce it by 3%. Thus, overall, lightning contributes only 1%—an almost insignificant proportion—to maintaining the high potential of the ionosphere. It is concluded that the net upward current to the ionosphere due to lightning is only . Further, it is concluded that conduction and convection currents associated with “batteries” within thunderclouds and electrified shower clouds contribute essentially equally ( each) to maintaining the ionospheric potential.