Distribution of Cd and As in organs and tissues of four marine mammal species stranded along the Italian coasts

Concentrations of Cd and As were determined in organs and tissues (muscle, heart, kidney, lung and liver) of four cetacean species (Stenella coeruleoalba, Truncatus truncatus, Grampus griseus and Ziphius cavirostris) stranded along the Italian coasts during the period 2000-2009. Significant differences were found between Cd concentrations in the different analysed tissues. Particularly, the kidney shows the highest concentrations of Cd in all analysed specimens, followed by the liver. No systematic or statistically significant difference in As concentrations was found in the analysed tissues. Considerable differences of Cd and As values in samples from different geographical areas (Sicily Channel, Adriatic Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea) were found, with the highest values measured in samples from the Sicily Channel. This basically suggests that anthropogenic and natural sources significantly affect Cd and As content in cetaceans.     

Evolutionary algorithm for vehicle driving cycle generation

Modeling transit bus emissions and fuel economy requires a large amount of experimental data over wide ranges of operational conditions. Chassis dynamometer tests are typically performed using representative driving cycles defined based on vehicle instantaneous speed as sequences of "microtrips", which are intervals between consecutive vehicle stops. Overall significant parameters of the driving cycle, such as average speed, stops per mile, kinetic intensity, and others, are used as independent variables in the modeling process. Performing tests at all the necessary combinations of parameters is expensive and time consuming. In this paper, a methodology is proposed for building driving cycles at prescribed independent variable values using experimental data through the concatenation of "microtrips" isolated from a limited number of standard chassis dynamometer test cycles. The selection of the adequate "microtrips" is achieved through a customized evolutionary algorithm. The genetic representation uses microtrip definitions as genes. Specific mutation, crossover, and karyotype alteration operators have been defined. The Roulette-Wheel selection technique with elitist strategy drives the optimization process, which consists of minimizing the errors to desired overall cycle parameters. This utility is part of the Integrated Bus Information System developed at West Virginia University.     

Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in lanner Falco biarmicus feldeggli Schlegel chicks and lanner prey in Sicily, Italy

This paper reports on research conducted to elucidate the risk posed to the Sicilian population of the endangered lanner falcon Falco biarmicus feldeggii Schlegel by organochlorine (OC) pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as part of a wider study on contaminant risk to the lanner. Seventeen lanner nest sites were studied in northern and central Sicily. Sampling (in 2005) and analysis were carried out for selected OC pesticides and PCB congeners in lanner chick blood (15 chicks from 6 nest sites) and in two of the main lanner prey species, magpie Pica pica (36 individuals from 6 lanner nest sites) and rock dove Columba livia (10 individuals from 2 lanner nest sites). No OC and PCB residues were found in lanner chick blood above the detection limits, except for one solitary congener PCB153 (21.8 ng g(-1) wet weight), suggesting that these contaminants do not pose a significant risk to lanner chicks in the study area. Magpie and dove appeared mostly free of contamination with OC pesticides, though contamination levels were significantly higher in magpie than in dove. The presence of exceptional DDE and HEOD values in approximately 8% of the P. pica sample, and one P. pica sample showing recent DDT contamination, may indicate a local OC pesticide hazard to some lanner. Future research to further elucidate the contaminant risk to lanner in Sicily is suggested.     

Potentiation of antifungal effect of a mixture of two antifungal fractions obtained from Baccharis glutinosa and Jacquinia macrocarpa plants

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of mixtures of antifungal fractions extracted from Baccharis glutinosa and Jacquinia macrocarpa plants on the development of the filamentous fungi Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides. The minimal inhibitory concentration that inhibited 50% of growth (MIC₅₀) of each plant antifungal fraction was determined from the percentage radial growth inhibition of both fungi. Binomial mixtures made with both plant fractions were used at their MIC₅₀ to determine the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration index (FIC index) for each fungus in order to evaluate their synergistic effect. Each synergistic mixture was analyzed in their effect on spore germination, spore size, spore viability, mitotic divisions, hyphal diameter and length, and number of septa per hypha. Some antifungal mixtures, even at low concentrations, showed higher antifungal effect than those of the individual antifungal fraction. The FIC indices of mixtures that showed the highest antifungal activity against A. flavus and F. verticillioides were 0.5272 and 0.4577, respectively, indicating a synergistic effect against both fungi. Only 12% and 8% of the spores of A. flavus and F. verticillioides, respectively, treated with the synergistic mixtures, were able to germinate, although their viability was not affected. An increase in the number of septa per hypha of both fungi was observed. The results indicated that the synergistic mixtures strongly affected the fungal growth even at lower concentrations than those of the individual plant fractions.     

Newborns and low to moderate prenatal environmental lead exposure: might fathers be the key?

This study is part of the BioMadrid Project, a bio-monitoring study designed to assess pollutants in the environment surrounding children born in the Madrid region. Our aim in this report is to evaluate the association between prenatal lead exposure and fetal development using three biological samples (maternal and paternal blood lead at around 34 weeks of gestation as well as cord blood lead levels), three biomarkers of effect in cord blood peripheral lymphocytes (micronucleus in binucleated cells, nucleoplasmic bridges, and nuclear buds), and different anthropometrical characteristics at birth. Maternal and cord blood lead were not associated with newborn measurements or genotoxicity biomarkers. In contrast, increases in father blood lead were coupled with lower weight (mean difference (MD), ?110.8 g; 95 % confidence intervals (95%CI), ?235.6 to 6.00; p?<?0.10) and shorter abdominal (MD, ?0.81 cm; 95%CI, ?1.64 to 0.00; p?<?0.05) and cephalic (MD, ?0.32 cm; 95%CI, ?0.65 to 0.00; p?<?0.05) circumferences at birth as well as with the presence of nucleoplasmic bridges (odds ratio, 1.03; 95%CI, 1.00 to 1.06; p?<?0.05) and nuclear buds (odds ratio, 1.02; 95%CI, 0.99 to 1.04; p?<?0.10). These associations were mainly confined to female babies, in whom paternal lead was also inversely associated with length. Our results support the hypothesis that paternal lead exposure may be affecting the development of newborns.     

Water Consumption and Long-run Socio-economic Development: an Intervention and a Principal Component Analysis for the City of Milan

This paper analyses the evolution of water consumption in Milan during the twentieth century. However, dealing with a century time series raises some complicated statistic and econometric issues. To study the main research questions outlined by the literature, as the presence of consumption habits and the link between consumption and price, we use a quite original approach – based on intervention analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) – which seems to be more adequate than “regression-type” approaches to study a so long time series. Results indicate (1) how some events have modified the normal evolution of per-capita water consumption; (2) that per-capita water consumption is a very persistent series, namely, that water users should have well-developed consumption habits; (3) that per-capita consumption and water price present a strong negative correlation.

Examination of Salmonella and Escherichia coli translocation from hog manure to forage, soil, and cattle grazed on the hog manure-treated pasture

Use of hog (Sus scrofa) manure as a fertilizer is a practical solution for waste re-utilization, however, it may serve as a vehicle for environmental and domestic animal contamination. Work was conducted to determine whether pathogens, naturally present in hog manure could be detected in cattle (Bos taurus) grazed on the manure-treated pasture, and whether forage contamination occurred. During two 3 mo summer trials manure was applied to yield < or = 124 kg available N per hectare in a single spring or split spring and fall application. Samples of hog manure, forage, soil, and cattle feces were analyzed for naturally occurring Salmonella, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Escherichia coli. To follow movement of Salmonella in the environment isolates were identified to serovar and serotyped. Transfer of E. coli from hog manure to soil and cattle was examined by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of >600 E. coli isolates. While Y. enterocolitica was absent from all samples, in both years S. enterica Derby and S. enterica Krefeld were found in most hog manure samples, but were only on forage samples in the second year. Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, absent from hog manure was present on some forage in the first year. Cattle feces and soil samples were consistently Salmonella negative. These contaminations could not be traced to manure application. During this study, Salmonella and E. coli found in hog manure had different RAPD genomic profiles from those found in the feces of cattle grazing on manure-treated pasture.