Rhyolitic tephra horizons in northwestern Europe and Iceland from the AD 700s–800s: a potential alternative for dating first human impact

The Holocene ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Wastegård ◽  
Valerie A. Hall ◽  
Gina E. Hannon ◽  
Christel van den Bogaard ◽  
Jonathan R. Pilcher ◽  
...  
1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (01) ◽  
pp. 129-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
P J Declerck ◽  
S Vanderschueren ◽  
J Billiet ◽  
H Moreau ◽  
D Collen

SummaryStreptokinase (SK) is a routinely used thrombolytic agent but it is immunogenic and allergenic; staphylokinase (STA) is a potential alternative agent which is under early clinical evaluation. The comparative prevalence of antibodies against recombinant STA (STAR) and against SK was studied in healthy subjects and their induction with intravenous administration in small groups of patients.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, using microtiter plates coated with STAR or SK and calibration with affinospecific human antibodies, revealed 2.1 to 65 μg/ml (median 11 μg/ml) anti-STAR antibodies and 0.9 to 370 μg/ml (median 18 μg/ml) anti-SK antibodies (p <0.001 vs anti-STAR antibodies) in plasma from 100 blood donors, with corresponding values of 0.6 to 100 μg/ml (median 7.1 μg/ml) and 0.4 to 120 μg/ml (median 7.3 μg/ml), respectively, in 104 patients with angina pectoris. Three out of 17 patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia had significantly increased anti-STAR antibody levels (150, 75 and 75 μg/ml), and STAR neutralizing activities (2.2, 3.6 and 4.1 μg STAR neutralized per ml plasma, respectively). In 6 patients with acute myocardial infarction, given 10 mg STAR intravenously over 30 min, median anti-STAR antibody levels were 3.5 μg/ml at baseline, 2.9 μg/ml at 6 to 8 days and 1.2 μg/ml at 2 to 9 weeks, with median corresponding titers of STAR neutralizing activity at 2 to 9 weeks of 42 μg/ml plasma. Conversely, in 5 patients treated with 1,500,000 units SK over 60 min, median anti-SK antibodies increased from 2.9 μg/ml at baseline to 360 μg/ml at 5 to 10 days, with corresponding median SK neutralizing activities of 13 μg/ml. Antibodies against STAR did not cross-react with SK and vice versa.Plasma from human subjects contains low levels of circulating antibodies against recombinant staphylokinase, and intravenous administration of this compound boosts antibody titers. These antibodies do however not cross-react with streptokinase, whereby the use of these two immunogenic thrombolytic agents would not be mutually exclusive.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
I. V. Goncharenko ◽  
H. M. Holyk

Cenotic diversity and leading ecological factors of its floristic differentiation were studied on an example of two areas – Kyiv parks "Nivki" and "Teremki". It is shown that in megalopolis the Galeobdoloni-Carpinetum impatientosum parviflorae subassociation is formed under anthropogenic pressure on the typical ecotope of near-Dnieper hornbeam oak forests on fresh gray-forest soils. The degree of anthropogenic transformation of cenofloras can be estimated by the number of species of Robinietea and Galio-Urticetea classes, as well as neophytes and cultivars. Phytoindication for hemeroby index may be also used in calculation. We propose the modified index of biotic dispersion (normalized by alpha-diversity) for the estimation of ecophytocenotic range (beta-diversity) of releves series. We found that alpha-diversity initially increases (due to the invasion of antropophytes) at low level of antropogenic pressure, then it decreases (due to the loss of aboriginal species) secondarily with increasing of human impact. Also we found that beta-diversity (differential diversity) decreases, increasing homogeneity of plant cover, under the influence of anthropogenic factor. Vegetation classification was completed by a new original method of cluster analysis, designated as DRSA («distance-ranked sorting assembling»). The classification quality is suggested to be validated on the "seriation" diagram, which is а distance matrix between objects with gradient filling. Dark diagonal blocks confirm clusters’ density (intracluster compactness), uncolored off-diagonal blocks are evidence in favor of clusters’ isolation (intercluster distinctness). In addition, distinction of clusters (syntaxa) in ordination area suggests their independence. For phytoindication we propose to include only species with more than 10% constancy. Furthermore, for the description of syntaxonomic amplitude we suggest to use 25%-75% interquartile scope instead of mean and standard deviation. It is shown that comparative analysis of syntaxa for each ecofactor is convenient to carry out by using violin (bulb) plots. A new approach to the phytoindication of syntaxa, designated as R-phytoindication, was proposed for our study. In this case, the ecofactor values, calculated for individual releves, are not taken into account, however, the composition of cenoflora with species constancies is used that helps us to minimize for phytoindication the influence of non-typical species. We suggested a syntaxon’s amplitude to be described by more robust statistics: for the optimum of amplitude (central tendency) – by a median (instead of arithmetic mean), and for the range of tolerance – by an interquartile scope (instead of standard deviation). We assesses amplitudes of syntaxa by phytoindication method for moisture (Hd), acidity (Rc), soil nitrogen content (Nt), wetting variability (vHd), light regime (Lc), salt regime (Sl). We revealed no significant differences on these ecofactors among ecotopes of our syntaxa, that proved the variant syntaxonomic rank for all syntaxa. We found that the core of species composition of our phytocenoses consists of plants with moderate requirements for moisture, soil nitrogen, light and salt regime. We prove that the leading factor of syntaxonomic differentiation is hidden anthropogenic, which is not subject to direct measurement. But we detect that hidden factor of "human pressure" was correlated with phytoindication parameters (variables) that can be measured "directly" by species composition of plant communities. The most correlated factors were ecofactors of soil nitrogen, wetting variability, light regime and hemeroby. The last one is the most indicative empirically for the assessment of "human impact". We establish that there is a concept of «hemeroby of phytocenosis» (tolerance to human impact), which can be calculated approximately as the mean or the median of hemeroby scores of individual species which are present in it.


Erdkunde ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rüdiger Mäckel ◽  
Arne Friedmann ◽  
Dirk Sudhaus

Author(s):  
Dmitry Kuznetsov ◽  
Dmitry Kuznetsov ◽  
Anatoliy Kamalov ◽  
Anatoliy Kamalov ◽  
Nataliya Belova ◽  
...  

The dynamics of thermoabrasion coasts on loose sediments under permafrost conditions are highly variable due to several factors: length of the dynamic period of the year, mechanic composition of the frozen ground and its ice content, hydrometeorological conditions, and human impact. Multiannual monitoring of the coastal zone was carried out by Lab. Geoecology of the North (Moscow State University) at the 22 km long Kharasavey deposit site, Western Coast of Yamal Peninsula (Kara Sea). The methods include direct measurements and observations (repeated topographic survey of shore transects from 1981 to 2012) along with remote sensing data analysis (images from 1964 to 2011). This allowed producing detailed characteristics of coastal dynamics. At the site, thermoabrasion coasts occupy the most part, and accumulative coasts are present in the north. Data on natural relief forming factors and ground composition are included in the detailed geomorphologic map of the site. Shore retreat rate shows correlation to amounts of wind-wave energy and to specific wind directions. Human impact on the coast includes dredging at the port channel, mining of sand, driving motor vehicles, and deposition of construction debris. Relations between shore retreat rate and aforementioned factors were studied, including dependencies on ice content, and shore segmentation was carried out. This allows for coastal dynamics forecasts in the region.


1989 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Sadler

The suitability of sedimentary urease activity as a potential tracer for sewage outfall plumes has been examined. Enzyme activity is readily measured in the sediments by a relatively simple procedure and results may be obtained within a few hours of sampling. The results of urease measurements in areas around point source discharges were compared with bacteriological data for the same areas. Three areas were selected for study: a discharge of untreated sewage into a harbour, a discharge from a sewage treatment plant to a river and a discharge from a contaminated drain to a small beach. In all cases, positive correlation between the distribution of the two parameters was observed. Urease activity probably reflects the movement of soluble products from the outfall whereas E.coli represents the particulate phase of the discharge. Although further work will be required, urease activity does offer a potential alternative to E.coli for tracing plumes of faecal pollution.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-122
Author(s):  
Amarila Malik ◽  
Elita Yuliantie ◽  
Nisa Yulianti Suprahman ◽  
Theresa Linardi ◽  
Angelina Wening Widiyanti ◽  
...  

Background: Bacteriocins (Bac1, Bac2, and Bac3) from Weissella confusa MBF8-1, weissellicin- MBF, have been reported as potential alternative substances as well as complements to the existing antibiotics against many antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. Previously, the genes encoded in the large plasmid, pWcMBF8-1, and the spermicidal activity of their synthetic peptides, originally discovered Indonesia, have been studied. Three synthetic bacteriocins peptides of this weissellicin-MBF have been reported for their potential activities, i.e. antibacterial and spermicidal. Objective: The aim of this study was to construct the recombinant Bacteriocin (r-Bac) genes, as well as to investigate the gene expressions and their functional analysis. Method: Here, the recombinant Bacteriocin (r-Bac) genes were constructed and the recombinant peptides (r-Bac1, r-Bac2, and r-Bac3) in B. subtilis DB403 cells were produced on a large scale. After purification, using the His-tag affinity column, their potential bioactivities were measured as well as their antibacterial minimum inhibitory concentrations against Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Micrococcus luteus, were determined. Results: Pure His-tag-recombinant Bac1, Bac2, and Bac3 were obtained and they could inhibit the growth of L. mesenteroides and M. luteus. Conclusion: The recombinant bacteriocin could be obtained although with weak activity in inhibiting gram-positive bacterial growth.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document