Biomarkers of Exposure and Effects for Assessing Toxicological Risk of Endocrine Disrupters in Top Predators of the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract. Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) have the potential to alter hormone pathways that regulate reproductive processes in wildlife and fisheries. In this research the unexplored hypothesis that Mediterranean top predator species (such as large pelagic fish and marine mammals) are potentially at risk due to EDCs is investigated. In the Mediterranean environment, top predators accumulate high concentrations of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs) and toxic metals, incurring high toxicological risk. Here we illustrate the need to develop sensitive biomarkers for evaluation of toxicological risk in top marine predators (Xiphias gladius, Thunnus thynnus thynnus) and non-lethal techniques, such as non-destructive biomarkers, for the hazard assessment of threatened species exposed to EDCs, such as marine mammals ( Stenella coeruleoalba, Tursiops truncatus, Delphinus delphis and Balaenoptera physalus ).     

Tissue distribution of metals in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) from the Apulian coasts, southern Italy.

Tissue distributions of metals (mercury, lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese) were determined in six specimens of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba, Meyen) stranded on the Apulian coasts (Southern Italy) between February and June 1987. Methyl mercury and selenium were also determined in the liver samples. The liver accumulated the highest concentrations of metals, except for cadmium and chromium. Metal levels were higher than those found in dolphins living in the Atlantic, but lower than those recorded in the same species from the French Mediterranean coasts. Necroscopic surveys found that all specimens were affected by haemorrhagic gastritis, but the cause was not clear. While it was not possible to related the death of dolphins to a specific cause, or to contaminants, the accumulation of metals is likely to contribute to the health of the organism and represents a risk factor for dolphins.     

Modelling the relationship between sexual reproduction and rhizome growth in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile

The relationship between flowering and growth performance of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile in meadows distributed along the south‐eastern coast of Sicily (Italy) was investigated by means of a statistical model (generalized linear mixed model) combined with the lepidochronological analysis. Over a 28‐year period, 67 floral stalk remains were observed. The highest flowering index was recorded in lepidochronological year 1998 (10.1%) and the Inflorescence Frequency per age showed a clear decrease corresponding to 15‐year‐old shoots. The sexual reproductive event had positive effects on rhizome elongation (cm year^?1) and leaf production (no. leaves year^?1) in the same flowering year, whilst no effect on the rhizome production (mg year^?1) was observed. Rhizome growth variables showed significant negative lagged responses in the two years following flowering. On the whole, we calculated that the effect exerted by flowering, in terms of loss on rhizome elongation and production, was about 27% and 38%, respectively. Although it has been demonstrated that recovery from the stress induced by sexual reproduction is limited to the two years after flowering, the magnitude of the reproductive cost may become quite considerable especially in comparison with the whole lifespan of individual shoots.     

Remote sensing of Mercury's magnetospheric plasma environment via energetic neutral atoms imaging

The potentiality of exploring the plasma dynamical behavior of Mercury via energetic neutral atom (ENA) analysis is briefly discussed. The analysis of the Hermean ENA would give clues to the global magnetospheric configuration, clarifying crucial issues like the existence of radiation belts. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of ENA imaging in the Hermean environment, an empirical model of the equatorial proton distributions, originally developed for the Earth's magnetosphere, is here modified in order to be applicable to the expected conditions, according to the present knowledge of the planet. Simulations of the ENA radiation are then presented and discussed. It is shown that the simulated radiation is significantly high, especially when pointing the field of view towards the Hermean surface. The way of determining the proton flux distributions and the cross-tail electric field characteristics by using the ENA signal is discussed. Finally, a preliminary design of an ENA detector suitable for the ESA mission to Mercury ‘BepiColombo’ is proposed and discussed.     

Rill flow resistance law under equilibrium bed‐load transport conditions

In this paper, a recently deduced flow resistance equation for open channel flow was tested under equilibrium bed‐load transport conditions in a rill. First, the flow resistance equation was deduced applying dimensional analysis and the incomplete self‐similarity condition for the flow velocity distribution. Then, the following steps were carried out for developing the analysis: (a) a relationship (Equation  13 ) between the Γ function of the velocity profile, the rill slope, and the Froude number was calibrated by the available measurements by Jiang et al.; (b) a relationship (Equation  17 ) between the Γ function, the rill slope, the Shields number, and the Froude number was calibrated by the same measurements; and (c) the Darcy–Weisbach friction factor values measured by Jiang et al. were compared with those calculated by the rill flow resistance equation with Γ estimated by Equations  13 and 17 . This last comparison demonstrated that the rill flow resistance equation, in which slope and Shields number, representative of sediment transport effects, are introduced, is characterized by the lowest values of the estimate errors.     

济阳坳陷义和庄凸起东部燕山期构造负反转及层序地层样式响应

通过钻井、测井与地震数据,依据不整合面分析、断层活动速率分析与地层的"负向结构"分析,在义和庄凸起东部燕山期内识别出一期发生于中晚侏罗世之交的构造负反转,并据此将义和庄凸起燕山期划分为早期与晚期两个阶段.通过单井与连井层序地层分析,分别建立了燕山早期与晚期的层序地层样式,两者在层序结构及内部沉积充填等方面表现出巨大差异.早期层序地层不具有显著的沉积厚度分异,且格架内部充填河流相沉积;晚期因构造负反转而形成小型拉张断陷盆地,沉积厚度分异明显,内部以扇三角洲沉积充填为主,呈现出对构造负反转的显著响应.燕山期构造-层序地层学的研究可为中国东部其他具有相似构造背景盆地前新生代的油气勘探提供借鉴.     

基于密度的线数据分组算法研究

目前,地理空间数据面临着由于数据量膨胀和计算量高速增长而引起算法效率低的问题,采用"分而治之"的数据分组策略提高运算效率已成为研究的热点。面向分布不均匀的线数据,本文提出了基于密度的线数据分组算法(简称LGAD)。首先,算法通过查找高密度区提取样本线段,保证了分组算法的起点落到高密区;其次,考虑线空间拓扑关系的复杂性,引用水平、垂直和夹角距离度量线段间距离,创建样本线段与其他线段的距离矩阵;最后,以距离矩阵和最优选择方法实现数据负载均衡分组。实验结果显示,对数据分组和分组后数据进行线段聚类的2个过程中,该算法体现了较好的时间优势,与串行计算相比,在分组数为2-12 时,平均比率达4.3,提高了应用的响应速度,具有较好的实际意义。     

2005—2018年北京市外来人口迁移特征与影响因素分析

外来人口是大型或超大型城市人口结构的重要组成部分,研究特定城市外来人口的迁移特征及其影响因素不仅有助于从迁入地视角发现以特定城市为目标的人口迁移规律,对新城镇化背景下的城市化建设与发展也具有重要的现实意义。本文以北京市为例,通过收集2005—2018年的公安机关外来人口登记数据,对外来人口在不同年份的市级迁出地空间分布格局进行了研究,并利用空间回归模型对人口迁移的影响因素进行了分析,得到如下发现：① 北京市外来人口的迁出地在市级尺度下表现出明显的空间聚集效应,且聚集效应逐年增强;外来人口迁出地空间分布基本稳定,热点迁出地分布主要集中在河北-天津和河南省南部-湖北省北部2个主要聚集簇中;② 影响人口向北京迁移的主要变量为各迁出地的人口规模、交通时间、人均收入、高等教育水平、人口密度等,其中人口规模和人均收入对人口迁移的影响较为稳定,而高等教育水平和人口密度的影响分别从2010年和2014年后才开始显现,交通时间对人口迁移的障碍性作用虽然有所下降,但对人口迁移的影响变化不大;③ 空间误差项持续显著,表明迁出地的人口迁出量可能受相邻地市的社会文化等其他变量的影响。     

Tectonics and Sedimentary Basins of the South China Sea: Challenges and Progresses

The special issue Tectonics and Sedimentary Basins of the South China Sea consists of 19 articles arranged in the order of deep structure,general tectonics,tectonic modeling,and sedimentary basins especially the deepwater sedimentary basins.