46 research outputs found
Beached swords from Marano Lagoon (northern Adriatic) reveal ancient land-sea connections and recent coastal evolution
Depositional and erosional processes, subsidence and sea-level changes have strongly modified the coastal landscape of northern Adriatic lagoons. Such rapid transformations have induced significant consequences on human settlements and, thus, on the archaeological visibility of the area, still largely unexplored. We present here six metal swords fortuitously retrieved by fishermen over the last decades in front of the barrier islands of Marano Lagoon (north-eastern Italy). Multi-analytical analyses carried out on the artefacts (X-ray radiography and computed micro-tomography, radiocarbon dating and typo-chronology) combined with the study of the coastal paleo-environment (mainly based on historical cartography and remote sensing) allowed the items' main features to be defined, and highlighted both the historical importance of the area and the significant morphological changes that have occurred there over the last millennium. Data presented indicate that Marano Lagoon was a major hub in the northern Adriatic in the Late Middle Ages, during the crucial period of the Crusades, and in Early Modern times, connecting inland Europe with the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, the research highlights the onset of coastal erosion that occurred in the last century after a phase of relatively geomorphic stability, possibly deriving from the intensification of human impact and climate change
Carbon dioxide diffuse emission and thermal energy release from hydrothermal systems at Copahue-Caviahue Volcanic Complex (Argentina).
The north-western sector of Caviahue caldera (Argentina), close to the active volcanic system of Copahue, is characterized by the presence of several hydrothermal sites that host numerous fumarolic emissions, anomalous soil diffuse degassing of CO2 and hot soils. In March 2014, measurements of soil CO2 fluxes in 5 of these sites (namely, Las M\ue1quinas, Las Maquinitas I, Las Maquinitas II, Anfiteatro, and Termas de Copahue) allowed an estimation that ~165t of deeply derived CO2 is daily released. The gas source is likely related to a relatively shallow geothermal reservoir containing a single vapor phase as also suggested by both the geochemical data from the 3 deep wells drilled in the 1980s and gas geoindicators applied to the fumarolic discharges. Gas equilibria within the H-C-O gas system indicate the presence of a large, probably unique, single phase vapor zone at 200-210\ub0C feeding the hydrothermal manifestations of Las M\ue1quinas, Las Maquinitas I and II and Termas de Copahue. A natural thermal release of 107MW was computed by using CO2 as a tracer of the original vapor phase. The magmatic signature of the incondensable fumarolic gases, the wide expanse of the hydrothermal areas and the remarkable high amount of gas and heat released by fluid expulsion seem to be compatible with an active magmatic intrusion beneath this portion of the Caviahue caldera
LABEC, the INFN ion beam laboratory of nuclear techniques for environment and cultural heritage
The LABEC laboratory, the INFN ion beam laboratory of nuclear techniques for
environment and cultural heritage, located in the Scientific and Technological Campus of
the University of Florence in Sesto Fiorentino, started its operational activities in 2004, after
INFN decided in 2001 to provide our applied nuclear physics group with a large laboratory
dedicated to applications of accelerator-related analytical techniques, based on a new 3 MV
Tandetron accelerator. The new accelerator greatly improved the performance of existing
Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) applications (for which we were using since the 1980s an old
single-ended Van de Graaff accelerator) and in addition allowed to start a novel activity of
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), in particular for 14C dating. Switching between IBA
and AMS operation became very easy and fast, which allowed us high flexibility in programming
the activities, mainly focused on studies of cultural heritage and atmospheric aerosol
composition, but including also applications to biology, geology, material science and forensics,
ion implantation, tests of radiation damage to components, detector performance tests
and low-energy nuclear physics. This paper describes the facilities presently available in the
LABEC laboratory, their technical features and some success stories of recent applications
Egg intensity and freeze-thawing of fecal samples affect sensitivity of Echinococcus multilocularis detection by PCR.
Echinococcus multilocularis is one of the most
relevant zoonotic parasites with about 18,000 human cases
per year. Its detection in wild host is crucial for disease
prevention. The present study aimed to determine factors
affecting the sensitivity of E. multilocularis detection by
PCR using DNA extracted from fecal samples of coyotes
(Canis latrans). Fecal samples were screened for the presence
of Taeniidae eggs through centrifugation and sedimentation.
DNAwas extracted from fecal samples with and without prior
freeze-thawing of the sample and then subjected to PCR
targeting a mitochondrial gene (nad1) and a multi-loci microsatellite
marker (EmsB). The presence of PCR inhibitors was
determined through internal amplification control. Subjecting
the sample to repeated freeze-thaw cycles significantly increased
the sensitivity of the PCR by 20 %. Likewise, egg
intensity had a significant effect on PCR, an effect which was
more pronounced for samples not subjected to freeze-thawing.
Two ormore eggs per gram of feces significantly increased the
odds for a positive PCR outcome. The presence of PCR
inhibitors had no effect on PCR in samples subjected to
freeze-thaw cycles, whereas in samples not subjected to
freeze-thaw cycles, the presence of PCR inhibitors was associated
with a 0.78 lower odds ratio of positive PCR outcome.
Targeting a nuclear versus a mitochondrial gene did not have a
significant effect on the sensitivity of PCR. We recommend
freeze-thawing samples prior to DNA extraction to become a
standard procedure for E. multilocularis detection in canid
feces
Echinococcus multilocularis in North America: the big unknown.
Over the last decade, studies have begun to shed light on the distribution and genetic characterization of
Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis (AE), in North America. Recent findings
indicate that the parasite is likely expanding its range in the central region of the United States and Canada and that
invasions of European strains might have occurred. In our review, we present the available data on E. multilocularis
infections in wild and domestic animals and humans in North America and emphasize the lack of knowledge on the
distribution of the parasite in wild and domestic hosts. Furthermore, we stress the need to better understand the complexity
of host communities and their roles in shaping the transmission and distribution of the parasite. We hypothesize
that a lack of knowledge about AE by North American physicians might result in the misdiagnosis of cases and
an underestimation of disease incidence. The endemic presence of the parasite in urban areas and a recent human case
in Alberta, Canada, suggest that the scientific community may need to reconsider the local public health risks,
re-assess past cases that might have been overlooked and increase surveillance efforts to identify new cases of human
AE
Feeding ecology informs parasite epidemiology: prey selection modulates encounter rate with Echinococcus multilocularis in urban coyotes.
We investigated the role of urban coyote feeding ecology in the transmission of Echinococcus
multilocularis, the causative agent of Alveolar Echinococcosis in humans. As coyotes
can play a main role in the maintenance of this zoonotic parasite within North American
urban settings, such study can ultimately aid disease risk management. Between June
2012 and June 2013, we collected 251 coyote feces and conducted trapping of small mammals
(n = 971) in five parks in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We investigated E. multilocularis
epidemiology by assessing seasonal variations of coyote diet and the selective
consumption of different rodent intermediate host species. Furthermore, accounting for
small mammal digestibility and coyote defecation rates we estimated the number of small
mammal preys ingested by coyote and consequently, coyote encounter rates with the parasite.
Dominant food items included small mammals, fruit and vegetation, although hare and
deer were seasonally relevant. The lowest frequency of occurrence per scat of small mammals
was recorded in winter (39.4 %), when consumption of deer was highest (36.4 %).
However, highest encounter rates (number of infected hosts predated/season) with E. multilocularis
(95% CI: 1.0 - 22.4), combined with the lack of predation on non-competent small
mammal species, suggest that winter is the critical season for transmission and control of
this parasite. Within the small mammal assemblage, voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus and
Myodes gapperi) were the selected preys of urban coyotes and likely played a key role for
the maintenance of the urban sylvatic life-cycle of E. multilocularis in Calgary
Catchment-scale denudation and chemical erosion rates determined from (10)Be and mass balance geochemistry (Mt. Lofty Ranges of South Australia)
Abstract not availableErick A. Bestland, CaterinaLiccioli, Lesja Soloninka, David J.Chittleborough, David Fin
Focus Point on New Challenges in the Scientific Applications to Cultural Heritage
Description of the actual phase of research in scientific methods applied to Cultural Heritag