Nitrogen budget and statistical entropy analysis of the Tiber River catchment, a highly anthropized environment

Modern farming causes a decline in the recycling of the soil's inorganic matter due to losses by leaching, runoff, or infiltration into the groundwater. The Soil System Budget approach was applied to evaluate the net N budget at the catchment and sub-catchment levels of the Tiber River (central Italy) in order to establish the causes for different N budgets among the sub-catchments. Statistical Entropy Analysis (SEA) was used to evaluate the N efficiency of the Tiber River and its sub-catchments, providing information on the dispersion of different N forms in the environment. The total N inputs exceeded the total outputs, showing a low N retention (15.8%) at the catchment level, although some sub-catchments showed higher N retention values. The Utilized Agricultural Area was important in the determination of the N balance, as it was linked to zoo- and agricultural activities, although the Random Forest analysis showed that the importance ranking changed with the land use. The low N retention of the Tiber catchment was due to the soil characteristics (Cambisols and Leptosols), loads from atmospheric deposition, biological fixation, and the livestock industry. The SEA simulations showed a reduction of the N released into the atmosphere and groundwater compartments from 34% to 6% through a reduction of the N loads by 50%

Trends in tropospheric ozone concentrations and forest impact metrics in Europe over the time period 2000–2014

AbstractIn Europe, tropospheric ozone pollution appears as a major air quality issue, and ozone concentrations remain potentially harmful to vegetation. In this study we compared the trends of two ozone metrics widely used for forests protection in Europe, the AOT40 (Accumulated Ozone over Threshold of 40 ppb) which only depends on surface air ozone concentrations, and the Phytotoxic Ozone Dose which is the accumulated ozone uptake through stomata over the growing season, and above a threshold Y of uptake (PODY). By using a chemistry transport model, we found that European-averaged ground-level ozone concentrations (− 2%) and AOT40 metric (− 26.5%) significantly declined from 2000 to 2014, due to successful control strategies to reduce the emission of ozone precursors in Europe since the early 1990s. In contrast, the stomatal ozone uptake by forests increased from 17.5 to 26.6 mmol O3 m−2 despite the reduction in ozone concentrations, leading to an increase of potential ozone damage on plants in Europe. In a climate change context, a biologically-sound stomatal flux-based standard (PODY) as new European legislative standard is needed

New simple and low-cost methods for periodic checks of Cyclone® Plus Storage Phosphor System

The recent large use of the Cyclone® Plus Storage Phosphor System, especially in European countries, as imaging system for quantification of radiochemical purity of radiopharmaceuticals raised the problem of setting the periodic controls as required by European Legislation. We described simple, low-cost methods for Cyclone® Plus quality controls, which can be useful to evaluate the performance measurement of this imaging system

A plausible link between the asteroid 21 Lutetia and CH carbonaceous chondrites

A crucial topic in planetology research is establishing links between primitive meteorites and their parent asteroids. In this study we investigate the feasibility of a connection between asteroids similar to 21 Lutetia, encountered by the Rosetta mission in July 2010, and the CH3 carbonaceous chondrite Pecora Escarpment 91467 (PCA 91467). Several spectra of this meteorite were acquired in the ultraviolet to near-infrared (0.3 to 2.2 {\mu}m) and in the mid-infrared to thermal infrared (2.5 to 30.0 {\mu}m or 4000 to ~333 cm^-1), and they are compared here to spectra from the asteroid 21 Lutetia. There are several similarities in absorption bands and overall spectral behavior between this CH3 meteorite and 21 Lutetia. Considering also that the bulk density of Lutetia is similar to that of CH chondrites, we suggest that this asteroid could be similar, or related to, the parent body of these meteorites, if not the parent body itself. However, the apparent surface diversity of Lutetia pointed out in previous studies indicates that it could simultaneously be related to other types of chondrites. Future discovery of additional unweathered CH chondrites could provide deeper insight in the possible connection between this family of metal-rich carbonaceous chondrites and 21 Lutetia or other featureless, possibly hydrated high-albedo asteroids.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figures and 2 tables, Meteoritics and Planetary Science, manuscript #2225 (2016

With or Without You: Altered Plant Response to Boron-Deficiency in Hydroponically Grown Grapevines Infected by Grapevine Pinot Gris Virus Suggests a Relation Between Grapevine Leaf Mottling and Deformation Symptom Occurrence and Boron Plant Availability

Despite the increasing spread of Grapevine Leaf Mottling and Deformation (GLMD) worldwide, little is known about its etiology. After identification of grapevine Pinot gris virus (GPGV) as the presumptive causal agent of the disease in 2015, various publications have evaluated GPGV involvement in GLMD. Nevertheless, there are only partial clues to explain the presence of GPGV in both symptomatic and asymptomatic grapevines and the mechanisms that trigger symptom development, and so a consideration of new factors is required. Given the similarities between GLMD and boron (B)-deficiency symptoms in grapevine plants, we posited that GPGV interferes in B homeostasis. By using a hydroponic system to control B availability, we investigated the effects of different B supplies on grapevine phenotype and those of GPGV infection on B acquisition and translocation machinery, by means of microscopy, ionomic and gene expression analyses in both roots and leaves. The transcription of the genes regulating B homeostasis was unaffected by the presence of GPGV alone, but was severely altered in plants exposed to both GPGV infection and B-deficiency, allowing us to speculate that the capricious and patchy occurrence of GLMD symptoms in the field may not be related solely to GPGV, but to GPGV interference in plant responses to different B availabilities. This hypothesis found preliminary positive confirmations in analyses on field-grown plants

Os aspectos culturais na elaboração de material didático para o ensino de língua de herança: estudo de caso

Neste artigo são apresentadas as principais contribuições de um estudo sobre o papel da cultura na elaboração de materiais didáticos em contexto de ensino de italiano como língua de herança. Como base teórica foram utilizados os pressupostos da Pedagogia Pós-Método, bem como os conceitos de cultura, identidade e língua de herança. Os resultados apontam, em primeiro lugar, que histórias de vida de membros da comunidade podem se constituir como uma rica matéria-prima para elaboração de material didático e, em segundo lugar, que o próprio ato de colher narrativas orais na língua de herança contribui para que a própria comunidade se envolva no planejamento de ações para a revitalização linguística e cultural de que são herdeiros

Os aspectos culturais na elaboração de material didático para o ensino de língua de herança: estudo de caso

This article presents a study about the planning and implementation of an Italian language course as a Heritage Language (HL). The theoretical basis of this research is based on Post-Method Pedagogy, Oral History Methodology and Heritage Language studies. Preliminary results point to the need to create more formal language teaching spaces, as well as to the importance of familiar linguistic policies for their maintenance in informal contexts. The work also corroborates the idea that the teaching of language of inheritance is distinguished from teaching of foreign language, due to the specificities of the revitalization of language and culture.En este artículo se presentan las principales contribuciones de un estudio acerca del papel de la cultura en la elaboración de materiales didácticos en contexto de enseñanza de italiano como lengua de herencia. Como base teórica se utilizaron los presupuestos de la Pedagogía post-método, así como los conceptos de cultura, identidad y lengua de herencia. Los resultados muestran, en primer lugar, que las historias de vida de miembros de la comunidad pueden constituir una bella materia prima para la elaboración de material didáctico y, en según lugar, que el propio acto de elegir narrativas orales en lengua de herencia contribuyen para que la propia comunidad se involucre en la planificación de acciones hacia la revitalización lingüística y cultural de que son herederos. Neste artigo são apresentadas as principais contribuições de um estudo sobre o papel da cultura na elaboração de materiais didáticos em contexto de ensino de italiano como língua de herança. Como base teórica foram utilizados os pressupostos da Pedagogia Pós-Método, bem como os conceitos de cultura, identidade e língua de herança. Os resultados apontam, em primeiro lugar, que histórias de vida de membros da comunidade podem se constituir como uma rica matéria-prima para elaboração de material didático e, em segundo lugar, que o próprio ato de colher narrativas orais na língua de herança contribui para que a própria comunidade se envolva no planejamento de ações para a revitalização linguística e cultural de que são herdeiros

Near-IR spectroscopy of asteroids 21 Lutetia, 89 Julia, 140 Siwa, 2181 Fogelin, and 5480 (1989YK8), potential targets for the Rosetta mission; remote observations campaign on IRTF

In the frame of the international campaign to observe potential target asteroids for the Rosetta mission, remote observations have been carried out between Observatoire de Paris, in Meudon-France, and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea. The SpeX instrument was used in the 0.8-2.5 microns spectral region, for two observing runs in March and June 2003. This paper presents near-IR spectra of the asteroids 21 Lutetia, 89 Julia, 140 Siwa, 2181 Fogelin, and 5480 (1989YK8). Near-IR spectra of the asteroids 21 Lutetia and 140 Siwa are flat and featureless. The spectrum of 89 Julia reveals absorption bands around 1 and 2 microns, which may indicate the presence of olivine and olivine-pyroxene mixtures and confirm the S-type designation. The small main-belt asteroids 2181 Fogelin and 5480 (1989YK8) are investigated spectroscopically for the first time. Near-IR spectra of these asteroids also show an absorption feature around 1 micron, which could be and indicator of igneous/metamorphic surface of the objects; new observations in visible as well as thermal albedo data are necessary to draw a reliable conclusion on the surface mineralogy of both asteroids.Comment: Sent: October 2003, Accepted: December, 200