Landslide on glaciers: an example from Western Alps(Cogne-Italy)

In the warm summer of 2017,a landslide failed from the south-east side of the Col des Clochettes on the top of the underlying Trajo Glacier.The study area is at an elevation of about 3500 m a.s.l.in the Gran Paradiso Massif and can be hardly reached by walking from Cogne(Aosta Valley,NW Italy).Studies conducted by field surveys,photogrammetry(structure from motion)and satellite images analysis,integrated with the evaluation of data from meteorological stations have been used to reconstruct the phenomenon and infer its causes.The site is very complex to be studied especially due to logistic problems,therefore,measurements and observations that are common practice in other landslides are very difficult to apply here.So,many of the results achieved are not adequately supported by field studies.Anyway,the following factors could have affected the stability of the slope:i)the tectonic structure of the area,which is reflected on the morphology and on the geomechanics characteristics of the rock masses;ii)the meteorological conditions during 3 months before the main failure,resulting in an extremely high temperature compared to historical data.Moreover,the analysis of multitemporal satellite images allowed to recognize that it was not a single landslide but that the phenomenon is articulated over time in at least five failures in about 2 months.Moreover,several predisposing factors may have been playing an important role in causing the instability:the degradation of permafrost(probably affecting rock mass due to the circulation of warm air and water in the discontinuity systems),the alternance of the freeze-thaw cycles and the availability of a considerable amount of water from rainfalls and nival fusion infiltrating deeply in the rock mass.More common causes such as rains and earthquakes have been excluded.     

Prediction of mine drainage generation potential and the prevention method of the groundwater pollution in the Gümü?k?y(Kütahya) mineralization area,NW Turkey

One of the leading factors of seepage contamination is mine drainage, which creates serious ecological risks on the environment both during operation and post-mining times. In this study, experimental processes have been carried out to determine the occurrence of mine drainage in the Gümü?k?y(Kütahya) mineralization area(Northwest Turkey). The prevention method for potential mine drainage occurrence has been also discussed. High enrichment was observed which are directly related to mineralization in trace element concentrations, especially in potentially toxic metals such as Ag, Cd, Mo, Ba, Bi, and Zn. Based on short-term tests, mine drainage formation has not been expected according to the p H(7.36-9.38), contact leaching, and acid-base accounting studies. However, in the long-term, acid generation potential has been expected because of weathering and oxidation in terms of rock type and mineralization in the area. Therefore, in order to prevent groundwater contamination in the event of a possible formation of mine drainage, the hydraulic conductivity of the stock area bedrock was evaluated by the in situ tests performed in the field and it was found to be moderately permeable(K= 1.9 × 10~(-6) m/s). In order to make the stock area bedrock impermeable,natural clay will be laid and compressed at the base of the stock area. When the finite elements were modeled by seepage analysis, the seepage discharge to be formed on the base rock at a depth of 5 m was determined as 3.17 × 10~(-19) m~3/s. Since the discharge value determined in the seepage analysis after modeling is very close to zero, contamination of possible ground and surface water will be prevented.     

Simultaneous Quantification of κ-Carrageenan Oligosaccharides of DP 3, 5 and 7 by LC-MS/MS: Application to an in vitro Absorption Study

Carrageenans are widely utilized in many commercial applications such as the food and pharmaceutical industry, due to their excellent functional properties. In this study, a sensitive LC-MS/MS method was developed to determine κ-3, κ-5, and κ-7 carrageenan oligosaccharides simultaneously. Optimum MRM transitions for κ-3, κ-5, and κ-7 carrageenan oligosaccharides were(645.079→565.111, [M-H]-),(515.137→474.946, [M-2H]~(2-)), and(471.484→445, [M-3H]~(3-)), respectively. Chromatographic separation was performed on an Amide column coupled with a guard column operated at 60℃ under stepwise gradient elution. The linearity of the LC-MS/MS method for κ-3, κ-5, and κ-7 carrageenan oligosaccharides, evaluated over the concentration range of 0.10- 20.0 μmol L~(-1), was excellent. The precisions of the method for κ-3, κ-5, and κ-7 carrageenan oligosaccharides were from 0.91% to 9.66%, and the inter-day precisions were from 0.92% to 10.5%. Validation of the LC-MS/MS method indicated that the method was precise and in line with the CFDA guidance. This method has been successfully applied to an in vitro absorption study.     

Evaluation of relative tectonic activity along the Priene-Sazl? Fault(S?ke Basin,southwest Anatolia): Insights from geomorphic indices and drainage analysis

The West Anatolia Extensional Zone, which has a width of about 300 km, is located within the Alpine-Himalayan belt and is one of the regions with intense seismic activity in the world. The most important geomorphological structures in this area are three main graben structures resulting from regional N-S extension since the Early Miocene. These structures are the E-W trending Büyük Menderes, Kü?ük Menderes, and Gediz grabens. S?ke Basin is located at the SW end of the Büyük Menderes graben. The lineaments which control the NW of S?ke Basin have a length of approximately 40 km and have been defined as the Priene-Sazl? Fault(PSF). The PSF is seismically active, and the last large earthquake(the S?ke-Balat earthquake; Ms: 6.8) was produced on July 16 th of 1955. The ancient city of Priene, which was located in the study area, suffered from destructive earthquakes(in the 4 th century and 2 nd century BC, in the 2 nd century AD, during the Byzantine period and after the 12 th century BC). This study aims to reveal the effect of the PSF on the morphotectonic evolution of the region and the relative tectonic activity of the fault. To this end, it was the first time the stream length gradient index(SL: 130-1303), mountain-front sinuosity(Smf: 1.15-1.96), valley floor height and valley width ratio(Vf: 0.27-1.66), drainage basin asymmetry(AF: 0.15-0.76), hypsometric curve(HC) and hypsometric integral(HI: 0.22-0.86) and basin shape index(Bs: 1.04-5.75) along the mountain front that is formed by the PSF. Using a combination of the mountain-front sinuosity(Smf), valley floor height and valley width ratio(Vf), it is found that the uplift ratio in the region is not less than 0.05 mm/yr and the relative tectonic activity of PSF is high. According to the relative tectonic activity index(Iat) obtained from geomorphic indices, the southwest part of the PSF is relatively more active than the northeast part. As a result, I posit that the PSF has the potential to produce earthquakes in the future similarly to those that were produced in the past, and that the most destructive earthquakes will likely occur on the southwest segments of the fault according to geomorphic indices.     

Isolation of prawn (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Exopalaemon carinicauda</Emphasis>) lipopolysaccharide and β-1, 3-glucan binding protein gene and its expression in responding to bacterial and viral infections

The pattern recognition proteins (PRPs) play a major role in immune response of crustacean to resist pathogens. In the present study, as one of PRPs, lipopolysaccharide and β-1, 3-glucan binding protein (LGBP) gene in the ridge tail white prawn (Exopalaemon carinicauda) (EcLGBP) was isolated. The full-length cDNA of EcLGBP was 1338 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 366 amino acid residules. The deduced amino acid sequence of EcLGBP shared high similarities with LGBP and BGBP from other crustaceans. Some conservative domains were predicted in EcLGBP sequence. EcLGBP constitutively expressed in most tissues at different levels, and the highest expression was observed in hepatopancreas. With infection time, the cumulative mortality increased gradually followed by the proliferation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). The expression of EcLGBP in response to V. parahaemolyticus infection was up-regulated in hemocytes and hepatopancreas, and the up-regulation in hepatopancreas was earlier than that in hemocytes. EcLGBP expression after WSSV infection increased at 3 h, then significantly decreased in both hemocytes and hepatopancreas. The results indicated that EcLGBP was involved in the immune defense against bacterial and viral infections.