Arsenic and trace metal contents in sediment profiles from the Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica

Admiralty Bay (Antarctica) hosts three scientific stations (Ferraz, Arctowski and Macchu Picchu), which require the use of fossil fuel as an energy source. Fossil fuels are also considered the main source of pollution in the area, representing important inputs of major pollutants (organic compounds) and trace metals and metalloids of environmental interest. Accordingly, this work presents the results of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in sediment profiles from Admiralty Bay. The sediment results from Ferraz station were slightly higher than the other sampling sites. The highest contents were observed for Cu and Zn (from 44 to 89 mg kg(-1)). Otherwise, by using enrichment factors and geochronology analysis, the most relevant enrichment was observed for As in the samples collected close to the Ferraz station, indicating that increasing As content may be associated with the activities associated with this site. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Revealing archaeal diversity patterns and methane fluxes in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, and their association to Brazilian Antarctic Station activities

The study of Antarctic archaeal communities adds information on the biogeography of this group and helps understanding the dynamics of biogenic methane production in such extreme habitats. Molecular methods were combined to methane flux determinations in Martel Inlet, Admiralty Bay, to assess archaeal diversity, to obtain information about contribution of the area to atmospheric methane budget and to detect possible interferences of the Antarctic Brazilian Station Comandante Ferraz (EACF) wastewater discharge on local archaeal communities and methane emissions. Methane fluxes in Martel Inlet ranged from 3.2 to 117.9 mu mol CH(4) m(-2) d(-1), with an average of 51.3 +/- 8.5 mu mol CH(4) m(-2) d(-1) and a median of 57.6 mu mol CH(4) m(-2)d(-1). However, three negative fluxes averaging -11.3 mu mol CH(4) m(-2) d(-1) were detected in MacKellar Inlet, indicating that Admiralty Bay can be either a source or sink of atmospheric methane. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) showed that archaeal communities at EACF varied with depth and formed a group separated from the reference sites. Granulometric analysis indicated that differences observed may be mostly related to sediment type. However, an influence of wastewater input could not be discarded, since higher methane fluxes were found at CF site. suggesting stimulation of local methanogenesis. DGGE profile of the wastewater sample grouped separated from all other samples, suggesting that methanogenesis stimulation may be due to changes in environmental conditions rather than to the input of allochtonous species from the wastewater. 16S ribosomal DNA clone libraries analysis showed that all wastewater sequences were related to known methanogenic groups belonging to the hydrogenotrophic genera Methanobacterium and Methanobrevibacter and the aceticlastic genus Methanosaeta. EACF and Botany Point sediment clone libraries retrieved only groups of uncultivated Archaea, with predominance of Crenarchaeota representatives (MCG, MG1, MBG-B, MBG-C and MHVG groups). Euryarchaeota sequences found were mostly related to the LDS and RC-V groups, but MBG-D and DHVE-5 were also present. No representatives of cultivated methanogenic groups were found, but coverage estimates suggest that a higher number of clones would have to be analyzed in order to cover the greater archaeal diversity of Martel Inlet sediment. Nevertheless, the analysis of the libraries revealed groups not commonly found by other authors in Antarctic habitats and also indicated the presence of groups of uncultivated archaea previously associated to methane rich environments or to the methane cycle. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Results from a 15-year study on hydrocarbon concentrations in water and sediment from Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica

Admiralty Bay on the King George Island hosts the Brazilian, Polish and Peruvian research stations as well as the American and Ecuadorian field stations. Human activities in this region require the use of fossil fuels as an energy source, thereby placing the region at risk of hydrocarbon contamination. Hydrocarbon monitoring was conducted on water and sediment samples from the bay over 15 years. Fluorescence spectroscopy was used for the analysis of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seawater samples and gas chromatography with flame ionization and/or mass spectrometric detection was used to analyse individual n-alkanes and PAHs in sediment samples. The results revealed that most sites contaminated by these Compounds are around the Brazilian and Polish research stations due to the intense human activities, mainly during the summer. Moreover, the sediments revealed the presence of hydrocarbons from different sources, suggesting a mixture of the direct input of oil or derivatives and derived from hydrocarbon combustion. A decrease in PAH concentrations occurred following improvement of the sewage treatment facilities at the Brazilian research station, indicating that the contribution from human waste may be significant.

Genome Sequence of Exiguobacterium antarcticum B7, Isolated from a Biofilm in Ginger Lake, King George Island, Antarctica

Exiguobacterium antarcticum is a psychotropic bacterium isolated for the first time from microbial mats of Lake Fryxell in Antarctica. Many organisms of the genus Exiguobacterium are extremophiles and have properties of biotechnological interest, e. g., the capacity to adapt to cold, which make this genus a target for discovering new enzymes, such as lipases and proteases, in addition to improving our understanding of the mechanisms of adaptation and survival at low temperatures. This study presents the genome of E. antarcticum B7, isolated from a biofilm sample of Ginger Lake on King George Island, Antarctic peninsula.

Nuculidae (Bivalvia) in the Cape Melville Formation, King George Island, Antarctica, with an overview of the bivalve fauna

Nuculid bivalves of the Cape Melville Formation (Early Miocene, King George Island) are reviewed. Ten bivalve taxa are listed from the formation in the families Nuculidae (two species), Sareptidae, Malletiidae, Limopsidae (two species), Limidae, Pectinidae, Hiatellidae, and Periplomatidae. The Nuculidae consist of two species of Leionucula Quenstedt, 1930. One of these, L. melvilleana n. sp., is described and the other consists of the two species named previously by Anelli et al. (2006), which are demonstrated to be synonymous and are assigned to the species Leionucula frigida (Anelli, Rocha-Campos, Santos, Perinotto & Quaglio 2006). This assemblage, dominated by protobranchs (89% of specimens), is a typical fauna of offshore soft substrates, with a few specimens transported from hard substrates nearby. The diversity of Nuculidae has decreased in the Antarctic region through the Cenozoic.

Football in the dock: the case of homophobia.

This essay discusses some issues related to homophobia in football. To this was discussed through official documents and literature of the difficulties and challenges in the fight against homophobia in Brazil. From these initial discussions sought to relate the world of "male" and the reproduction of discrimination in football. As a form of analysis came from two authors of the social sciences: Durkheim's concept of anomie, which offers an explanation of why the repression of different (idea of the sacred and profane), and Habermas with the idea of civil society as a construction of mechanisms to fight for a transformation of reality and possibility of dialogue.

Gran hidráulica y ocupación de la geografía árida de Norteamérica: una aproximación histórica, 1860-1960

[ES] Este trabajo tiene como propósito realizar una primera aproximación al proceso histórico de ocupación de la geografía árida de Norteamérica (1860-1960) que integra la frontera norte de México con el sureste de los Estados Unidos. Se hace énfasis en el impacto general que en este proceso jugó la revolución industrial y tecno-científica que la acompañó y específicamente el papel desempeñado de la Gran Hidráulica en la explotación de los recursos hídricos a gran escala, habilitando el desarrollo productivo y social. Como parte del cambio histórico se expone también la emergencia de un moderno marco jurídico-institucional en torno al agua. Se cierra con la exposición de dos casos regionales para mostrar las crecientes rivalidades por los recursos hídricos ante sus nuevos usos modernos y su explotación intensiva, así como las diferentes modalidades de gestión resultantes y sus impactos en el largo plazo. [EN] This work aims to make a first approach to the historical process of occupation of the arid geography of North America (1860-1960) that integrates the northern border of Mexico with the southeast of the United States. Emphasis on the general impact that this process played the industrial and technoscientific revolution that accompanied it and specifically the role of the great hydraulic in the exploitation of large-scale water resources, enabling productive and social development. As part of the historic change is also the emergence of a modern legal- institutional framework around water. It closes with the exhibition of two regional cases to show the growing rivalries for water resources to its new modern uses and its intensive exploitation, as well as the different forms of management resulting and their impacts in the long term.

La institución parroquial a través de los registros contables del señorío episcopal de la Villa de Agüimes (1500-1860)

[ES]Con el trabajo de investigación que presentamos tratamos de abordar la organización y gestión administrativa de la institución parroquial a través del estudio y análisis de los libros contables, la normativa aplicada, correspondencia y demás documentos relacionados con la administración de la parroquia, con el objeto de poner de manifiesto su estructura organizativa, el método contable aplicado, los cambios organizativos y su incidencia en los registros contables.

Estro linguistico e problemi traduttivi in Mr Alfred M. A. di George Friel

My work is focused on George Friel, a distinguished Scottish writer known for his witty style bristling with puns and more or less literary allusions. In particular I proposed an annotated translation of what can be considered his masterpiece “Mr Alfred M.A.” in which wordplay has a central role for its plot. In the first part of my thesis I outlined the fundamental features of Friel’s writing: the wide variety of registers and styles, the rhythm and irony. Additionally I pointed out the strategies that the translator has to face when translating this text. Finally I identified the number of problems which may arise while translating Friel’s “Mr Alfred M.A.” into Italian with particular concern on the strategies of supplementation and explicitation for wordplay.

L'intuizionismo etico di George Edward Moore

La Tesi di Dottorato prende in considerazione la collocazione storica e critica di G. E. Moore nel panorama filosofico europeo, con particolare riferimento al suo rapporto con il neo-hegelismo britanico prima e con il realismo poi. Al centro della Tesi si trova l'esame dell'intuizionismo etico di G. E. Moore.