99 research outputs found
Elemental and isotopic composition of river water during a flood event in agricultural watershed: insight of sources and pathways of water and terrestrial derived matter
Flood event in agricultural watershed represents 64% of water discharge but up to 71% of dissolved organic carbon and 94 of total suspended matter export. It therefore constitutes a key period to assess change in surface water contamination and quality. While during base flow conditions most of river discharge is supported by groundwater input, during storm period surface and subsurface runoffs contribute to river flow. Integration of water pathway complexity and spatial heterogeneity of contaminant inputs in the watershed need to be assessed by biogeochemical proxy measured at watershed outlet in the main river channel
Flood survey of nitrate behaviour using nitrogen isotope tracing in the critical zone of a French agricultural catchment
Measurements of δ15N–NO3– were taken in a highly flood-responsive agricultural catchment in the southwest of France to trace the sources and transfer pathways of nitrates during flood events. From January to March 2013, surface water samples were collected every week at the outlet, and four floods were sampled with a high resolution. Sampling was also performed in surface waters and sand lenses from the rest of the basin to trace nitrate sources and processes spatially. Nitrate extractions were performed using a method based on the solubility difference between inorganic salts and organic solutions. The δ15N values were in the range of surface water contaminated by N-fertilisers. Depending on the hydroclimatic event, nitrates resulted from a combination of sources and processes. At the start of the floods, the values of δ15N–NO3– and nitrate concentrations were low, demonstrating the dilution of water with rainwater. During a second phase, the nitrate concentration and the δ15N were higher. Deeper waters and soil solutions were the second source of nitrates. When the water level was low, both nitrate concentration and isotopic composition were high. These values reflected the denitrification processes that occurred in the soil under anaerobic conditions. An analysis of δ15N–NO3– in stream water in a small agricultural catchment was efficient at determining the origin of nitrates during flood events using a simple method
Air Masses Origin and Isotopic Tracers: A Study Case of the Oceanic and Mediterranean Rainfall Southwest of France
Aquifers recharge mainly by local rainfall, which depend on the air mass humidity and orographic lifting, causing rain. The stable isotopes of the water molecule, i.e., oxygen-18 and deuterium, are useful tracers to determine the water source origin. Moreover, the calculation of the deuterium excess enables one to differentiate between the air masses from the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea. A transect from one coast to the other one and going through the city of Toulouse have been made to sample the groundwater and determine their isotopic characteristic. A monthly rainfall sampling has also been done over one year, close to the city Toulouse, to see how the d-excess values range over the season. The discussion replaces these results in available isotopic data
Which diameter and angle rule provides optimal flow patterns in a coronary bifurcation?
The branching angle and diameter ratio in epicardial coronary artery bifurcations are two important determinants of atherogenesis. Murray's cubed diameter law and bifurcation angle have been assumed to yield optimal flows through a bifurcation. In contrast, we have recently shown a 7/3 diameter law (HK diameter model), based on minimum energy hypothesis in an entire tree structure. Here, we derive a bifurcation angle rule corresponding to the HK diameter model and critically evaluate the streamline flow through HK and Murray-type bifurcations. The bifurcations from coronary casts were found to obey the HK diameter model and angle rule much more than Murray's model. A finite element model was used to investigate flow patterns for coronary artery bifurcations of various types. The inlet velocity and pressure boundary conditions were measured by ComboWire. Y-bifurcation of Murray type decreased wall shear stress-WSS (10%-40%) and created an increased oscillatory shear index-OSI in atherosclerosis-prone regions as compared with HK-type bifurcations. The HK-type bifurcations were found to have more optimal flow patterns (i.e., higher WSS and lower OSI) than Murray-type bifurcations which have been traditionally believed to be optimized. This study has implications for changes in bifurcation angles and diameters in percutaneous coronary intervention
TEMPORAL TRENDS IN THE CAUSE OF LONG-TERM DEATH AFTER PCI: A 20-YEAR SINGLE-CENTER EXPERIENCE
IMPACT: Ideal Measures for Participation and Awareness of Climate Change: Stronger Together Citizen participation in achieving the European Green Deal in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion
Context: The European Green Deal is a tool to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. To reach this goal, action is needed on all organizational levels. At the same time, temperatures keep rising, and the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion (EMR) suffered from heavy floods in the summer of 2021and extreme weather events are expected to increase. This is an example of a cross-border issue and therefore shows the need for cross-border climate action. The EMR could be a showcase for climate action and collaboration for other border regions across Europe and worldwide.
Policy Options: Citizens often do not feel responsible for taking climate action; however, everyone should contribute to achieving the biggest results in tackling climate change. Therefore, three policy options are presented to increase citizen participation in climate action: local climate measurements, sustainable food consumption, less food waste, and sustainable cities through urban gardening. These policy areas deserve more attention and have room for improvement.
Recommendations:
Encourage the implementation of citizen science projects in the EMR.
Gather insights on the region's greenhouse gas emissions.
Provide more sustainable food in institutional canteens and reduce food waste.
Use social media as a tool to provide information about sustainable food.
Use urban areas for urban gardening projects.
Create community sustainability challenges.
 
Identification of three potential insect vectors of Xylella fastidiosa in southern Italy
6openInternationalInternational coauthor/editorIn order to identify potential vectors of Xylella fastidiosa in olive orchards in Puglia (southern Italy), Hemiptera insects were collected from October to December, 2013, in olive orchards with high incidences of X. fastidiosa associated with “rapid decline” symptoms. The study focused on species in the Auchenorrhyncha (sharpshooter leafhoppers and froghoppers or spittlebugs), a group that includes known vectors of X. fastidiosa. Adults of three species, i.e. Philaenus spumarius L. (Aphrophoridae), Neophilaenus campestris Fallén (Aphrophoridae) and Euscelis lineolatus Brullé (Cicadellidae) were captured, from which total DNA was extracted and assayed by PCR using three sets of specific primers designed for X. fastidiosa detection. Results of PCR showed that 38 out of a total of 84 tested insects were positive for X. fastidiosa, i.e. eight (of 20) P. spumarius, 14 (of 18) N. campestris and 16 (of 46) E. lineolatus. PCR amplicons of the RNA polymerase sigma-70 factor gene from six specimens (two of each insect species) were sequenced. The sequences obtained were 99.3‒99.4% identical. BlastN analyses demonstrated these sequences to be similar to those of X. fastidiosa isolates from olive OL-X and OL-G reported from Puglia, whereas they displayed distant molecular identity (always less than 98%) with X. fastidiosa subspecies from other countries. The detection of X. fastidiosa in P. spumarius and, for the first time, in N. campestris and E. lineolatus (which, unlike the others, is a phloem feeder), indicates potential vectoring roles of these insects for the spread of the bacterium in Puglia. Further investigations and specific infectivity trials are required to definitively determine the roles of these insects as effective vectors of this pathogen.openElbeaino, T.; Yaseen, T.; Valentini, F.; Moussa, I.E.B.; Mazzoni, V.; D'Onghia, A.M.Elbeaino, T.; Yaseen, T.; Valentini, F.; Moussa, I.E.B.; Mazzoni, V.; D'Onghia, A.M
Clinical Decision Making Staging of Multivessel Percutaneous Coronary Interventions: an Expert Consensus Statement from the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions
and Gregory J. Dehmer, 7 MD, FSCAI Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) to treat multivessel coronary artery disease (MVCAD) may involve single-vessel or multivessel interventions, performed in one or more stages. This consensus statement reviews factors that may influence choice of strategy and includes six recommendations to guide decisions regarding staging of PCI V C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
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