Echeloned Series Processor (ESP)

An Echeloned Series Processor (ESP) has been implemented on a computer. The processor has certain similarities with MAO (MAO is a processor for Poisson series). Echeloned Series contain divisors in literal form. List processing and dynamic storage techniques are used to handle Echeloned Series by computer.     

Critical evaluation of an intercalibration exercise undertaken in the framework of the MED POL biomonitoring program.

The results of an intercalibration exercise among the laboratories participating in the MED POL program for monitoring biological effects of pollutants along the Mediterranean coasts are presented. Three established biomarkers, i.e. lysosomal membrane stability, metallothionein concentration and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, were intercalibrated. The stability of lysosomal membranes in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam.) was assessed with a cytochemical method. The four participating laboratories were able to discriminate between control animals (membrane labilization times ranging from 21 to 35 min) and Cu-exposed animals (40 micrograms/l Cu for 3 days) (labilization times ranging from 4.5 to 7.4 min). The metallothionein concentration was evaluated in digestive gland homogenates of control mussels and of animals exposed to 200 micrograms/l Cd for 7 days. The eight participating laboratories were able to discriminate between controls and treated samples using a spectrophotometric method. The EROD activity was evaluated by 11 laboratories. All laboratories were able to discriminate between liver microsomal preparations obtained from control and from benzo-a-pyrene exposed fish (Dicentrarchus labrax), with values ranging from 0.5 to 15.88 pmol/min/mg protein in controls and from 5.41 to 165.13 pmol/min/mg protein in treated animals. Using S9 fractions, it was possible to correctly identify control and treated fish, with a variation similar to that found using microsomal fractions, albeit with an inevitable difference in specific activity. As a corollary, all laboratories involved produced comparable data and were able to identify pollutant-induced stress syndromes in sentinel organisms. Thus, intercalibration enables the use of biomarkers in large biomonitoring programs.     

Evolution of erythemal and total shortwave solar radiation in Valladolid,Spain: Effects of atmospheric factors

Erythemal ultraviolet (UVER; 280–400 nm) and total shortwave (SW; 305–2800 nm) solar irradiances were recorded from 2000 to 2009 in Valladolid, Spain. UVER and SW values under cloudless conditions are simulated by radiative transfer (TUV 4.6) and empirical models. These model estimations are tested with experimental measurements showing a great agreement (root mean square error around 7%). The aerosol effect on UVER irradiance is determined through a model study. UVER radiation and total ozone column (TOC) temporal evolutions show a negative relationship. TOC accounts for 80% of UVER variance and its radiation amplification factor is 1.1 at zenith of 65°. Cloud effects on solar radiation are shown and quantified by the cloud modification factor. Moreover the enhancement effect cases are analysed. SW radiation proves more sensitive to clouds than UVER. Clouds are seen to attenuate and enhance solar radiation by up to 93% and 22% in the UVER range, respectively.     

Phytoremediation potential and morphological changes of plants growing in the vicinity of lead smelter plant

With the increasing industrialization, heavy metals concentration in soils has greatly increased. Phytoremediation is a low-cost, non-intrusive and aesthetically harmonious technology that uses plants to remediate contaminated sites by heavy metals. The aim of the study was to determine Cd, Pb and Zn concentration in the biomass of plant species growing on a multi-metal-contaminated site of lead smelter processing, to assess the workability of using these plants for phytoremediation purposes and highlight possible damage in morphological leaf changes. Two plant species, i.e., Ipomoea asarifolia and Urochloa decumbens and the associated soil samples were collected and analyzed Cd, Pb and Zn concentrations and then calculating the bioconcentration factor and translocation factor parameters for each element. Leaves and roots samples were observed by light microscopy. Metal concentrations varied greatly and majorly depend on site sampled, plant species and tissue. Cd, Pb and Zn in tissue ranged from 0 to 102.48, 0 to 381.04 and 12.84 to 295.02 mg Kg^?1. However, none of the plant showed potential for hyperaccumulation. Both plants showed bioaccumulation factor more than one, where it was 7.66 and 6.82 for Pb and Zn in U. decumbens, respectively. Translocation factor was calculated below one for both plants and all metals. Morphological studies revealed development of adaptive features that strengthen the U. decumbens to grow in contaminated soil. Our study suggests that I. asarifolia and U. decumbens have potential for phytostabilization at multi-metal-contaminated site.     

Radiological and geochemical characteristics of an ultramafic massif (NE Portugal) regarding the site aptness to host a near surface repository for low and intermediate level radwaste

The search for suitable sites to install near-surface repositories for low to intermediate level radioactive wastes has increased in the recent years, reflecting both the continuous rise in radioactive materials applications by the society and the increasing awareness of public perception regarding radwaste management. International recommendations towards the application of higher safety standards to low and intermediate level waste disposal sites being developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the European Commission decision that each Member State must safely dispose its own radwaste in its territory, according to national radwaste management plans, has leading to new soundly scientific studies. In Portugal, possible locations for that purpose are under study since 2006, following the pre-requisites indicated by IAEA. One of these sites overlaps a significant portion of an ultramafic massif, corresponding to an allochthonous and metamorphosed ophiolite complex. In the surveyed area of this massif, the prevailing rock type consists of (serpentinised) peridotites, occasionally containing irregular bodies of (amphibolitised) gabbros, over which an irregular/ill-developed regolith exists. The activities of ⁴⁰K, ¹³⁷Cs, ²¹⁰Pb, ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th measured in samples representing three consecutive levels of the regolith upper portion in 13 stations confirm the heterogeneity put in evidence through in situ γ-ray surveys previously performed. The available dataset also demonstrates that radionuclide contents decrease prominently with depth, becoming closer to the bedrock values (up to ca. 41 Bq kg^?1 for ⁴⁰K in flaser-gabbros and near zero for all the remaining cases) but never reaching them. Therefore, the low/moderate radionuclide activity in the regolith upper portion reflect the contribution of sources that are independent of the lithological background; i.e. they indicate external and miscellaneous contributions to the “soil”-forming components, most of them coming from (dry or wet) atmospheric deposition. The chemical composition of the (serpentinised) peridotites and (amphibolitised) gabbros in the surveyed area, as well as their alteration products included in regolith, is homogeneous enough to be used as a faithful reference in monitoring studies of any kind. In addition, the significant ¹³⁷Cs activities measured in some top “soil” samples (up to 92 Bq kg^?1) strongly suggest that there are mineralogical specificities of the peridotite-derived regolith able to fix that radionuclide. This particular feature reinforces the existing criteria that favour the peridotites of Morais as a suitable host for a near surface repository of low to intermediate level radwaste.     

Dynamics of vegetation indices in tropical and subtropical savannas defined by ecoregions and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land cover

In this study, we explored the capacity of vegetation indices derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) reflectance products to characterize global savannas in Australia, Africa and South America. The savannas were spatially defined and subdivided using the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) global ecoregions and MODIS land cover classes. Average annual profiles of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, shortwave infrared ratio (SWIR32), White Sky Albedo (WSA) and the Structural Scattering Index (SSI) were created. Metrics derived from average annual profiles of vegetation indices were used to classify savanna ecoregions. The response spaces between vegetation indices were used to examine the potential to derive structural and fractional cover measures. The ecoregions showed distinct temporal profiles and formed groups with similar structural properties, including higher levels of woody vegetation, similar forest–savanna mixtures and similar grassland predominance. The potential benefits from the use of combinations of indices to characterize savannas are discussed.     

Modelling regional impacts of climate change on water resources: the Júcar basin,Spain

Abstract

In this paper we analyse all currently available simulated climate scenarios, proposed by the Spanish Agency of Meteorology (AEMET), for the period 2010–2040 on the geographical area covered by the Júcar River basin, located in eastern Spain. This is done through the validation of these scenarios using historical records, and by assessing the impact on water resources for the next 30 years by means of a hydrological model. By taking the period 1960–1990 as the control period, a careful comparison of its historical records against AEMET scenarios is performed. Although temperature records are modelled properly, precipitation data are widely underestimated in a range from 8% to 29%. This wide variability observed in the control period is also found in the precipitation scenarios for the period 2010–2040. The impact on water resources shows a great degree of dispersion, ranging from –13.45% to 18.1% with a mean value of –2.13%.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor F. Hattermann     

Ongoing research on seismic safety assessment

Research on seismic safety assessment has been the centre of great interest among the scientific community in recent years. Although the devastating impact of earthquakes on current society should be incentive enough to increase research, the development of more realistic mechanical behaviour models and the continuous enhancement of computation capabilities are paramount factors contributing a great deal to the increase of such interest. In this context, three research areas can be identified as currently leading to important developments: code related research, especially in Europe where new design codes are in the implementation process; risk analysis, namely concerning the definition of methodologies for safety assessment that involve the evaluation of the failure probability and could be included in future generations of codes; and experimental characterization of constitutive laws which provides support for the development and calibration of accurate and realistic numerical models for seismic analysis and for the adequate characterization of limit state capacities. The paper will present some of the current scientific research trends on these three seismic safety assessment related topics. Studies addressing the seismic safety assessment of structures, either probabilistically or based on code provisions, and that consider realistic nonlinear mechanical behaviour models will be focussed. Reference will also be made to experimental research on the seismic behaviour of structural elements, emphasizing its crucial role to support the development of numerical models simulating the effects of different seismic strengthening techniques. Finally, given the development of studies leading to new trends and perspectives for performance based earthquake engineering, a possible scenario for seismic design in the future is presented, emphasizing the key issues for its implementation.     

Ubiquitination and carbonylation as markers of oxidative-stress in Ruditapes decussatus.

Environmental pollutants, such as metals, are widespread in aquatic environments and can lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are highly toxic in marine species since they can cause serious reversible and irreversible changes in proteins including ubiquitination and modifications such as carbonylation. This study aimed to confirm the potential of ubiquitination and carbonylation as markers of oxidative stress in the clam Ruditapes decussatus (Veneroida, Veneridae) exposed to cadmium (40 microg/L). After 21 days of exposure clams were dissected into gills and digestive gland. Cytosolic proteins of both tissues were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-D SDS-PAGE) and analysed by immunobloting. Higher ubiquitination and carbonylation levels were in digestive gland of contaminated organisms. These results confirm the potential of ubiquitination and carbonylation as a sensitive and specific marker of oxidative stress in marine bivalves. In this approach, changes in protein structure provide options for affinity selection of sub-proteomes for 2D SDS-PAGE, simplifying the detection of protein biomarkers using proteomic approach.