Wissenschaftliche Monitoringkonzepte für die Deutsche Bucht (WIMO) - Abschlussbericht

The state and development of coastal marine systems and an understanding of the interaction of organisms, sea floor, water column, and biochemical and physical processes can only be obtained by a combination of long-term monitoring and modelling approaches of different complexity. A need for the development and evaluation of monitoring strategies is driven by a framework of different European and German regulations. The research project WIMO (Scientific Monitoring Concepts for the German Bight) has developed concepts and methods that aim at a fundamental scientific understanding of marine systems and also meet monitoring requirements of European legislation and regulations like the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. In this final report examples of common descriptors of ecosystem state like seabed integrity, eutrophication, and biodiversity are discussed. It has been assessed to what extent established measuring procedures used to survey the characteristics of the sea floor, and newly developed technologies are eligible for governmental monitoring. The significance of integrative modelling for linking and visualising results of measurements and models is illustrated. It is shown how new concepts have been implemented into governmental monitoring in the form of web based data sheets. These insights enable continuous analyses and developments in the future

Anabolic effects and inhibition of interleukin 6 production induced by neridronate on human osteoblasts

Bisphosphonates (BPs) are pharmacological compounds widely used in the treatment of a variety of bone-related diseases, particularly where the bone-turnover is skewed in favour of osteolysis. The mechanisms by which BPs reduce bone-resorption directly acting on osteoclasts (OCs) are now largely clarified even at molecular level. The researches concerning the BPs effects on osteoblasts (OBs) have instead shown variable results. Objectives: We have investigated the efficacy of neridronate (NER), an amino-BP, as anabolic agent on human OBs. Moreover, we have tried to verify if NER is able to negatively modulate the production of IL-6 on OBs stimulated or not by the pro-inflammatory cytokine Il-1b. Methods: We have tested if different concentrations of NER (from 10-11M to 10-3M), added to primary human OB cultures, could affect the cells number, the endogenous cellular alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, the collagen I (COLI) synthesis, the formation of mineralized nodules and the IL-6 production. Our experimental approach was performed testing a wide range of NER concentrations because, under physiological conditions, OBs seems to be exposed to variable and transient levels of the drug. Results: Our results show that NER doesn't negatively affect in vitro the viability, proliferation and cellular activity of human OBs, even after 20 days of exposure to concentrations ²10-5 M (therapeutic dose). In addition, NER seems to enhance the differentiation of cultured OBs in mature bone-forming cells. A maximum increase of COL-I synthesis (+25% after 4 days; p<0.05), ALP activity (+50% after 10 days; p<0.01) and mineralized nodules (+48% after 20 days; p<0.05) was observed in cultures treated with NER 10-8M. A maximal reduction of IL-6 secretion (-24% on IL-1b stimulated cultures and -29% on unstimulated cultures) was observed for NER 10-9 M. Conclusions: These results encourage the use of neridronate in therapy of demineralizing metabolic bone disorders

Geohazard features of the Gulf of Naples and Pontine Islands (Eastern Tyrrhenian Sea)

In this paper, we describe the geohazard-related elements of the Eastern Tyrrhenian Sea continental margin, situated between the 40 degrees and 41 degrees North latitude. These features were recognised principally through morphological analysis. The investigation utilized medium - and high-resolution digital models of the submarine landscape, produced within the framework of the Magic project (Marine Geohazard along Italian Coasts), and primarily focusing on the bathymetric range of 50-700 meters. The surveyed area encompasses a recently formed continental margin, which connects the internal segments of the Apennine fold-and-thrust belt, verging NE, to the Tyrrhenian Sea bathyal plain, a 3000-m-deep back-arc basin that has developed since the Middle-Late Miocene. Several classes of hazard-related elements have been identified offshore, primarily associated with high-gradient slopes and a large number of volcanic edifices and banks. These include canyon systems, erosive scarps, landslide complexes, fault - and volcanic-related features, such as the products of the volcanic edifices instability, which claim to varying degrees of geo-hazard. Additionally, bedforms, fluid seepages and creeping phenomena in the prodelta slopes suggest high morpho-tectonic and environmental dynamics.HighlightsThis article reports on the thematic maps developed along the Lazio - Campania offshore (Central-eastern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) within the framework of the Magic Project, based on geomorphological analysis of the HR Digital Elevation Model of the seafloor.Several classes of hazard-related elements have been identified offshore, mainly associated with high-gradient slopes, volcanic activity and intense morphodynamic processes.The entire suite of maps created in the context of the Magic Project serves as a valuable base of knowledge, extending to the national scale and benchmarks for future monitoring of critical sites and geo-hazard-related features, as well as for maritime spatial planning actions

Tetrabutylammonium phenoxide induced reaction of silyl nucleophiles

Reaction of silyl dithiolanes with electrophiles can be efficiently promoted by catalytic amounts of tetrabutylammonium phenoxide (PhONn\u2013Bu4), leading to a convenient access to functionalized dithiolanes. PhONn\u2013Bu4 proved effective also in promoting reactions of silylated sulfides such as PhSTMS and HMDST as well as silylated selenides such as PhSeTMS and HMDSS toward epoxides. The present reactivity is also observed on using ILs as reaction media