Do endocrine disrupting chemicals threaten Mediterranean swordfish? Preliminary results of vitellogenin and Zona radiata proteins in Xiphias gladius

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) have the potential to alter hormone pathways that regulate reproductive processes in wildlife and fishes. In this research the hypothesis that Mediterranean top predator species (such as large pelagic fish) are potentially at risk due to EDCs is investigated. These marine organisms tend to accumulate high concentrations of EDCs such as polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs). The potential effects of EDCs on a fish species of commercial interest, the top predator Xiphias gladius (swordfish), were investigated using vitellogenin (Vtg) and Zona radiata proteins (Zrp) as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Dramatic induction of typically female proteins (Vtg and Zrp) was detected by ELISA and Western Blot in adult males of the species. These results are the first warning of the potential risk for reproductive function of Mediterranean top predators, and suggest the need for continuous monitoring of this fragile marine environment.     

X-ray spectromicroscopic investigation of natural organochlorine distribution in weathering plant material

Natural organochlorine (Cl_org) is ubiquitous in soil humus, but the distribution and cycling of different Cl species during the humification of plant material is poorly understood. Our X-ray spectromicroscopic studies indicate that the distributions of Cl_org and inorganic Cl⁻(Cl_inorg) in oak leaf material vary dramatically with decay stage, with the most striking changes occurring at the onset of weathering. In healthy or senescent leaves harvested from trees, Cl_inorg occurs in sparsely distributed, highly localized “hotspots” associated with trichomes as well as in diffuse concentration throughout the leaf tissue. The Cl_inorg associated with trichomes exists either in H-bonded form or in a solid salt matrix, while the Cl_inorg in diffuse areas of lower Cl concentration appears exclusively in H-bonded form. Most solid phase Cl_inorg leaches from the leaf tissue during early weathering stages, whereas the H-bonded Cl_inorg appears to leach away slowly as degradation progresses, persisting through advanced weathering stages. In unweathered leaves, aromatic and aliphatic Cl_org were found in rare but concentrated hotspots. In weathered leaves, by contrast, aromatic Cl_org hotspots are prevalent, often coinciding with areas of elevated Fe or Mn concentration. Aromatic Cl_org is highly soluble in leaves at early weathering stages and insoluble at more advanced stages. These results, combined with optical microscopy, suggest that fungi play a role in the production of aromatic Cl_org in weathering leaf material. Aliphatic Cl_org occurs in concentrated hotspots in weathered leaves as well as in diffuse areas of low Cl concentration. The distribution and speciation of Cl in weathering oak leaves depicted by this spectromicroscopic study provides new insight into the formation and cycling of Cl_org during the decay of natural organic matter.     

Validation and fusion of different databases in preparation of high-resolution geoid determination

An up to date determination of a high-resolution geoid requires the use of best available databases concerning digital terrain model (DTM), bathymetry, global geopotential model and gravity field. The occasion to revisit methods to validate and merge different data sets has been created by a new project for the determination of a new European Geoid.
Since the computation of the latest European geoid and quasi-geoid model (EGG97), significant new or improved data sets have become available, such as new global geopotential models from CHAMP and GRACE missions, new national and global DTMs and new or upgraded gravity data sets.
In the context of the new European Gravity and Geoid Project (EGGP), within the IAG Commission 2, some data validation tests have been performed in the Italian zone.
In the area 19°× 17° wide, covering Italy, three kinds of tests have been performed: comparison among different DTMs in order to choose the best one to be used; comparisons in terms of geoid computation in some coastal areas, to evaluate bathymetry effects, and the validation of the EIGEN-CG01C and EIGEN-CG03C new global models up to degree and order 360.
These preliminary tests lead to the choice of SRTM DTM (integrated in no-data holes), with an added bathymetry derived by the Italian 1:25 000 official cartography near the coasts and the NOAA bathymetry in high seas. The validation of the new global models and the comparison with EGM96 model show that, in terms of geoid computation, the EGM96 yields better results. Moreover, the validation of new available land gravity data and the cross-validation of two sets of gravity data on sea have been completed.     

Multi-step SETARMA predictors in the analysis of hydrological time series

The performance of the self-exciting threshold autoregressive moving average model in forecasting river flow data is investigated. Multi-step forecasts of two daily time series are generated through three different nonlinear predictors. The model adequacy to capture the main features of the data under study and its forecasting performance are analysed and discussed.     

Influence of metal oxides in the colorimetric determination of acid volatile sulfide in sediments

The sediment of Lagoa dos Patos‐MS, Brazil, was investigated to verify the influence of metal sulfides and oxyhydroxides of Mn and Fe on the heavy metal availability. The spectrophotometric method of methylene blue was used, with 8 interlinked tubes containing the samples with SnCl₂, where N₂ was introduced to release the H₂S extracted with 6.0 mol L^–1 HCl, and trapped in 0.05 M NaOH solution. The influence of SO₄^2–, Mn(IV) and Fe(III) oxyhydroxides was investigated with samples constituted by a mixture of MnO₂; Na₂SO₄; FeCl₃, and sediments. The presence of SnCl₂ was very important to avoid the interferences of iron and manganese oxyhydroxides. The method of standard addition was applied and the efficiency was (100.8 ± 9.4)%. The ratio among the quantities of metals potentially available and the acid volatile sulfide (AVS) indicate that the system presents small metals availability to the benthic community, by the existence of sulfide capable to immobilize the metal as insoluble sulfide.     

Intercomparison of Boron Isotope and Concentration Measurements. Part II: Evaluation of Results

The Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse (IGG), on behalf and with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), prepared eight geological materials (three natural waters and five rocks and minerals), intended for a blind interlaboratory comparison of measurements of boron isotopic composition and concentration. The materials were distributed to twenty seven laboratories - virtually all those performing geochemical boron isotope analyses in the world -which agreed to participate in the intercomparison exercise. Only fifteen laboratories, however, ultimately submitted the isotopic and/or concentration results they obtained on the intercomparison materials. The results demonstrate that interlaboratory reproducibility is not well reflected by the precision values reported by the individual laboratories and this observation holds true for both boron concentration and isotopic composition. The reasons for the discrepancies include fractionations due to the chemical matrix of materials, relative shift of the zero position on the δ¹¹B scale and a lack of well characterized materials for calibrating absolute boron content measurements. The intercomparison materials are now available at the IAEA (solid materials) and IGG (waters) for future distribution.     

New insights on late Quaternary palaeogeographic setting in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy)

Sedimentological, geochemical and micropalaeontological data from sediment cores in the northwestern Adriatic Sea were obtained to reconstruct the stratigraphic framework and palaeogeographic setting during the last post‐glacial sea‐level rise (14000–6000 yr BP). Four lithostratigraphic units were identified: (a) distal plain deposits (>14000 yr BP), submerged during the first phases of marine ingression; (b) coastal lagoon system; (c) barrier‐lagoon system, which is dated back to between 10019 ± 61 and 10228 ± 174 cal. yr BP from ¹⁴C dating on peat and shell remains; (d) marine prodelta deposits (<5500 yr BP). Geochemical data allow the identification of three distinct sediment sources: River Po, River Adige and Eastern Alpine rivers characterised by decreasing Ni/Mg ratios (50–70, 8–15 and 5–10, respectively) and Ba/Al ratios of 45–55, 55–65 and 35–45, respectively. The three sources display different relative abundances in time. During the Lateglacial, the Po is the main sediment source for the southern cores, whereas the Eastern Alps and the River Adige are the main sediment sources for the northern cores. This suggests a northern position of the Po River bed compared to previous studies. Coastal drowning led to a homogenization of the provenance signal within the sediments. Only after the marine transgression does a River Po signal appear in the northern cores. At the same time, in the southern cores the signal of Eastern Alpine rivers becomes stronger. Transgressive barrier‐lagoon and recent sediments do not display a predominant signal for provenance indicators. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.