Quantitative Analysis of Fault and Fracture Systems and their Impact on Groundwater Flow in Irish Bedrock Aquifers

Fault and fracture systems are the most important store and pathway for groundwater in Ireland’s bedrock aquifers, either directly as conductive flow structures, or indirectly as the locus for the development of dolomitised limestone and karst. This article presents the preliminary results of a study involving the quantitative analysis of fault and fracture systems in the broad range of Irish bedrock types and a consideration of their impact on groundwater flow. The principal aims of the project are to develop generic conceptual models for different fault/fracture systems in different lithologies and at different depths, and to link them to observed groundwater behaviour. Here we briefly describe the geometrical characteristics of the main post-Devonian fault/fracture systems controlling groundwater flow from field observations at outcrops, quarries and mines. The structures range from Lower Carboniferous normal faults through to Variscan-related faults and veins, with the most recent structures including Tertiary strike-slip faults and ubiquitous uplift-related joint systems. The geometrical characteristics of different fault/fracture systems combined with observations of groundwater behaviour in both quarry and mine localities, can be linked to general flow and transport conceptualisations of Irish fractured bedrock. Most importantly they also provide a basis for relating groundwater flow to particular fault/fracture systems and their expression with depth and within different lithological sequences, as well as their regional variability.

Vitamin D analogs differentially control antimicrobial peptide/"alarmin" expression in psoriasis

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are strongly expressed in lesional skin in psoriasis and play an important role as proinflammatory "alarmins" in this chronic skin disease. Vitamin D analogs like calcipotriol have antipsoriatic effects and might mediate this effect by changing AMP expression. In this study, keratinocytes in lesional psoriatic plaques showed decreased expression of the AMPs beta-defensin (HBD) 2 and HBD3 after topical treatment with calcipotriol. At the same time, calcipotriol normalized the proinflammatory cytokine milieu and decreased interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-17F and IL-8 transcript abundance in lesional psoriatic skin. In contrast, cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide expression was increased by calcipotriol while psoriasin expression remained unchanged. In cultured human epidermal keratinocytes the effect of different vitamin D analogs on the expression of AMPs was further analyzed. All vitamin D analogs tested blocked IL-17A induced HBD2 expression by increasing IkappaB-alpha protein and inhibition of NF-kappaB signaling. At the same time vitamin D analogs induced cathelicidin through activation of the vitamin D receptor and MEK/ERK signaling. These studies suggest that vitamin D analogs differentially alter AMP expression in lesional psoriatic skin and cultured keratinocytes. Balancing AMP "alarmin" expression might be a novel goal in treatment of chronic inflammatory skin diseases.

A Prospective Study of Growth and Biomarkers of Exposure to Aflatoxin and Fumonisin during Early Childhood in Tanzania

BACKGROUND: Aflatoxin and fumonisin are toxic food contaminants. Knowledge about effects of their exposure and co-exposure on child growth is inadequate.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between child growth and aflatoxin and fumonisin exposure in Tanzania.

METHODS: A total of 166 children were recruited at 6 to 14 months of age and studied at recruitment, and at the sixth and twelfth month following recruitment. Blood and urine samples were collected and analysed for plasma aflatoxin albumin adducts (AF-alb) using ELISA, and urinary fumonisin B1 (UFB1) using LC-MS, respectively. Anthropometric measurements were taken and growth index Z-scores were computed.

RESULTS: AF-alb geometric mean concentrations (95% confidence intervals) were 4.7 (3.9, 5.6), 12.9 (9.9, 16.7) and 23.5 (19.9, 27.7) pg/mg albumin at recruitment, six months, and 12 months from recruitment, respectively. At these respective sampling times, geometric mean UFB1 concentrations (95% CI) were 313.9 (257.4, 382.9), 167.3 (135.4, 206.7) and 569.5 (464.5, 698.2) pg/mL urine, and the prevalence of stunted children were 44%, 55% and 56%, respectively. UFB1 concentrations at recruitment were negatively associated with length for age Z-scores (LAZ) at six months (p = 0.016) and at 12 months from recruitment (p = 0.014). The mean UFB1 of the three sampling times (at recruitment, at six and 12 months from recruitment) in each child was negatively associated with LAZ (p < 0.001) and length velocity (p = 0.004) at 12 months from recruitment. The negative association between AF-alb and child growth did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to fumonisin alone, or co-exposure with aflatoxins may contribute to child growth impairment.

Biomass-derived Oxymethylene Ethers as Diesel Additives: A Thermodynamic Analysis

Conversion of biomass for production of liquid fuels can help in reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which are predominantly generated by combustion of fossil fuels. Adding oxymethylene ethers (OMEs) in conventional diesel fuel has the potential to reduce soot formation during the combustion in a diesel engine. OMEs are downstream products of syngas, which can be generated by the gasification of biomass. In this research, a thermodynamic analysis has been conducted through development of data intensive process models of all the unit operations involved in production of OMEs from biomass. Based on the developed model, the key process parameters affecting the OMEs production including equivalence ratio, H2/CO ratio, and extra water flow rate were identified. This was followed by development of an optimal process design for high OMEs production. It was found that for a fluidized bed gasifier with heat capacity of 28 MW, the conditions for highest OMEs production are at an air amount of 317 tonne/day, at H2/CO ratio of 2.1, and without extra water injection. At this level, the total OMEs production is 55 tonne/day (13 tonne/day OME3 and 9 tonne/day OME4). This model would further be used in a techno-economic assessment study of the whole biomass conversion chain to determine the most attractive pathways.

BIIL 284 reduces neutrophil numbers but increases P. aeruginosa bacteremia and inflammation in mouse lungs

BACKGROUND: A clinical study to investigate the leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4))-receptor antagonist BIIL 284 in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients was prematurely terminated due to a significantly increased risk of adverse pulmonary events. We aimed to establish the effect of BIIL284 in models of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection, thereby contributing to a better understanding of what could have led to adverse pulmonary events in CF patients.

METHODS: P. aeruginosa DNA in the blood of CF patients during and after acute pulmonary exacerbations and in stable patients with non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFB) and healthy individuals was assessed by PCR. The effect of BIIL 284 treatment was tested in an agar bead murine model of P. aeruginosa lung infection. Bacterial count and inflammation were evaluated in lung and other organs.

RESULTS: Most CF patients (98%) and all patients with NCFB and healthy individuals had negative P. aeruginosa DNA in their blood. Similarly, the P. aeruginosa-infected mice showed bacterial counts in the lung but not in the blood or spleen. BIIL 284 treatment decreased pulmonary neutrophils and increased P. aeruginosa numbers in mouse lungs leading to significantly higher bacteremia rates and lung inflammation compared to placebo treated animals.

CONCLUSIONS: Decreased airway neutrophils induced lung proliferation and severe bacteremia in a murine model of P. aeruginosa lung infection. These data suggest that caution should be taken when administering anti-inflammatory compounds to patients with bacterial infections.

Is China's fifth-largest inland lake to dry-up? Incorporated hydrological and satellite-based methods for forecasting Hulun Lake water levels

Hulun Lake, China's fifth-largest inland lake, experienced severe declines in water level in the period of 2000-2010. This has prompted concerns whether the lake is drying up gradually. A multi-million US dollar engineering project to construct a water channel to transfer part of the river flow from a nearby river to maintain the water level was completed in August 2010. This study aimed to advance the understanding of the key processes controlling the lake water level variation over the last five decades, as well as investigate the impact of the river transfer engineering project on the water level. A water balance model was developed to investigate the lake water level variations over the last five decades, using hydrological and climatic data as well as satellite-based measurements and results from land surface modelling. The investigation reveals that the severe reduction of river discharge (-364±64 mm/yr, ∼70% of the five-decade average) into the lake was the key factor behind the decline of the lake water level between 2000 and 2010. The decline of river discharge was due to the reduction of total runoff from the lake watershed. This was a result of the reduction of soil moisture due to the decrease of precipitation (-49±45 mm/yr) over this period. The water budget calculation suggests that the groundwater component from the surrounding lake area as well as surface run off from the un-gauged area surrounding the lake contributed ∼ net 210 Mm3/yr (equivalent to ∼ 100 mm/yr) water inflows into the lake. The results also show that the water diversion project did prevent a further water level decline of over 0.5 m by the end of 2012. Overall, the monthly water balance model gave an excellent prediction of the lake water level fluctuation over the last five decades and can be a useful tool to manage lake water resources in the future.