Geochemistry and stable isotope composition of fresh alkaline porphyry copper tailings: Implications on sources and mobility of elements during transport and early stages of deposition

Prevention of acid mine drainage (AMD) in sulfide-containing tailings requires the identification of the geochemical processes and element pathways in the early stages of tailing deposition. However, analyses of recently deposited tailings in active tailings impoundments are scarce because mineralogical changes occur near the detection limits of many assays. This study shows that a detailed geochemical study which includes stable isotopes of water (delta H-2, delta O-18), dissolved sulfates (delta S-34, delta O-18) and hydrochernical parameter (pH, Eh, DOC, major and trace elements) from tailings samples taken at different depths in rainy and dry seasons allows the understanding of weathering (oxidation, dissolution, sorption, and desorption), water and element pathways, and mixing processes in active tailings impoundments. Fresh alkaline tailings (pH 9.2-10.2) from the Cu-Mo porphyry deposit in El Teniente, Chile had low carbonate (0.8-1.1 Wt-% CaCO3 equivalent) and sulfide concentrations (0.8-1.3 wt.%, mainly as pyrite). In the alkaline tailings water, Mo and Cu (up to 3.9 mg/L Mo and 0.016 mg/L Cu) were mobile as MoO42- and Cu (OH)(2)(0). During the flotation, tailings water reached equilibrium with gypsum (up to 738 mg/L Ca and 1765 mg/ L SO4). The delta S-34 VS. delta O-18 covariations of dissolved sulfate (2.3 to 4.5% delta S-34 and 4.1 to 6.0 % delta O-18) revealed the sulfate sources: the dissolution of primary sulfates (12.0 to 13.2%. delta S-34, 7.4 to 10.9%.delta O-18) and oxidation of primary sulfides (-6.7 to 1.7%. delta S-34). Sedimented tailings in the tailings impoundment can be divided into three layers with different water sources, element pathways, and geochemical processes. The deeper sediments (> 1 m depth) were infiltrated by catchment water, which partly replaced the original tailings water, especially during the winter season. This may have resulted in the change from alkaline to near-neutral pH and towards lower concentrations of most dissolved elements. The neutral pH and high DOC (up to 99.4 mg/L C) of the catchment water mobilized Cu (up to 0.25 mg/L) due to formation of organic Cu complexes; and Zn (up to 130 mg/L) due to dissolution of Zn oxides and desorption). At I m depth, tailings pore water obtained during the winter season was chemically and isotopically similar to fresh tailings water (pH 9.8-10.6, 26.7-35.5 mg/L Cl, 2.3-6.0 mg/L Mo). During the summer, a vadose zone evolved locally and temporarily up to 1.2 m depth. resulting in a higher concentration of dissolved solids in the pore water due to evaporation. During periodical new deposition of fresh tailings, the geochemistry of the surface layer was geochemically similar to fresh tailings. In periods without deposition, sulfide oxidation was suggested by decreasing pH (7.7-9.5), enrichment of MoO42- and SO42-, and changes in the isotopic composition of dissolved sulfates. Further enrichment for Na, K, Cl, SO4, Mg, Cu, and Mo (up to 23.8 mg/L Mo) resulted from capillary transport towards the surface followed by evaporation and the precipitation of highly soluble efflorescent salts (e.g., mirabilite, syngenite) at the tailing surface during summer. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hepatitis C virus infections in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study: a rapidly evolving epidemic.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has a growing impact on morbidity and mortality in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We assessed trends in HCV incidence in the different HIV transmission groups in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS). METHODS: HCV infection incidence was assessed from 1998, when routine serial HCV screening was introduced in the SHCS, until 2011. All HCV-seronegative patients with at least 1 follow-up serology were included. Incidence rates (IRs) of HCV infections were compared between men who have sex with men (MSM), injection drug users (IDU), and heterosexuals (HET). RESULTS: HCV incidence was assessed in 3333 MSM, 123 IDU, and 3078 HET with a negative HCV serology at baseline. Over 23 707 person-years (py) for MSM, 733 py for IDU, and 20 752 py for HET, 101 (3%), 41 (33%), and 25 (1%) of patients seroconverted, respectively. The IR of HCV infections in MSM increased from 0.23 (95% credible interval [CrI], .08-.54) per 100 py in 1998 to 4.09 (95% CrI, 2.57-6.18) in 2011. The IR decreased in IDU and remained <1 per 100 py in HET. In MSM, history of inconsistent condom use (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.09; 95% CI, 1.33-3.29) and past syphilis (adjusted HR, 2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-3.20) predicted HCV seroconversion. CONCLUSIONS: In the SHCS, HCV infection incidence decreased in IDU, remained stable in HET, and increased 18-fold in MSM in the last 13 years. These observations underscore the need for improved HCV surveillance and prevention among HIV-infected MSM.

Attentional networks efficiency in preterm children.

Recent studies have reported specific executive and attentional deficits in preterm children. However, the majority of this research has used multidetermined tasks to assess these abilities, and the interpretation of the results lacks an explicit theoretical backdrop to better understand the origin of the difficulties observed. In the present study, we used the Child Attention Network Task (Child ANT; Rueda et al. 2004) to assess the efficiency of the alerting, orienting and executive control networks. We compared the performance of 25 preterm children (gestational age < or = 32 weeks) to 25 full-term children, all between 5(1/2) and 6(1/2) years of age. Results showed that, as compared to full-term children, preterm children were slower on all conditions of the Child ANT and had a specific deficit in executive control abilities. We also observed a significantly higher correlation between the orienting and executive control networks in the preterm group, suggesting less differentiation of these two networks in this population.

Contrasting magma types and timing of intrusion in the Permian layered mafic complex of Mont Collon (Western Alps, Valais, Switzerland): evidence from U/Pb zircon and 40Ar/39Ar amphibole dating

We have selected and dated three contrasting rock-types representative of the magmatic activity within the Permian layered mafic complex of Mont Collon, Austroalpine Dent Blanche nappe, Western Alps. A pegmatitic gabbro associated to the main cumulus sequence yields a concordant U/Pb zircon age of 284.2 +/- 0.6 Ma, whereas a pegmatitic granite dike crosscutting the latter yields a concordant age of 282.9 +/- 0.6 Ma. A Fe-Ti-rich ultrabasic lamprophyre, crosscutting all other lithologies of the complex, yields an 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 260.2 +/- 0.7 Ma on a kaersutite concentrate. All ages are interpreted as magmatic. Sub-contemporaneous felsic dikes within the Mont Collon complex are ascribed to anatectic back-veining from the country-rock, related to the emplacement of the main gabbroic body in the continental crust, which is in accordance with new isotopic data. The lamprophyres have isotopic compositions typical of a depleted mantle, in contrast to those of the cumulate gabbros, close to values of the Bulk Silicate Earth. This indicates either contrasting sources for the two magma pulses - the subcontinental lithospheric mantle for the gabbros and the underlying asthenosphere for the lamprophyres - or a single depleted lithospheric source with variable degrees of crustal contamination of the gabbroic melts during their emplacement in the continental crust. The Mont Collon complex belongs to a series of Early Permian mafic massifs, which emplaced in a short time span about 285-280 Ma ago, in a limited sector of the post-Variscan continental crust now corresponding to the Austroalpine/ Southern Alpine domains and Corsica. This magmatic activity was controlled in space and time by crustal-scale transtensional shear zones.

Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities for Week Ending, May 30, 2008

Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities

Relationship of aerobic fitness and motor skills with memory and attention in preschoolers (Ballabeina): A cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

Background: The debate about a possible relationship between aerobic fitness and motor skills with cognitive development in children has recently re-emerged, because of the decrease in children's aerobic fitness and the concomitant pressure of schools to enhance cognitive performance. As the literature in young children is scarce, we examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship of aerobic fitness and motor skills with spatial working memory and attention in preschool children.Methods: Data from 245 ethnically diverse preschool children (mean age: 5.2 (0.6) years, girls: 49.4%) analyzed at baseline and 9 months later. Assessments included aerobic fitness (20 m shuttle run) and motor skills with agility (obstacle course) and dynamic balance (balance beam). Cognitive parameters included spatial working memory (IDS) and attention (KHV-VK). All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, BMI, migration status, parental education, native language and linguistic region. Longitudinal analyses were additionally adjusted for the respective baseline value.Results: In the cross-sectional analysis, aerobic fitness was associated with better attention (r = 0.16, p = 0.03). A shorter time in the agility test was independently associated with a better performance both in working memory (r = -0.17, p = 0.01) and in attention (r = -0.20, p = 0.01). In the longitudinal analyses, baseline aerobic fitness was independently related to improvements in attention (r = 0.16, p = 0.03), while baseline dynamic balance was associated with improvements in working memory (r = 0.15, p = 0.04).Conclusions: In young children, higher baseline aerobic fitness and motor skills were related to a better spatial working memory and/or attention at baseline, and to some extent also to their future improvements over the following 9 months.

Informe del Cuadro de expertos sobre dinámica de la población de la anchoveta peruana

El Cuadro de expertos realiza una investigación del Nivel del rendimiento máximo sostenido de la pesquería de anchoveta, los efectos de un aumento del esfuerzo de pesca así como las temporadas de veda. Finalmente recalcan la necesidad de continuar investigación del tema.

Estudio básico de artes de arrastre mediante modelos experimentales

Presenta los resultados de estudios realizados con tres tipos de artes de arrastre de fondo (red camaronera de 4 paneles, red demersal de 2 y 6 paneles) mediante modelos de prueba, dependiendo de la exactitud y obediencia de la ley de similitud en redes de pesca. Deduce que la mayor abertura vertical de la boca de red y menor resistencia hidrodinámica se dan cuando la relación Dw / 1 (abertura horizontal de las alas/longitud de la relinga superior) es menor, perteneciendo a la red demersal de 6 paneles.

Isoquantas de produtividade de soja e sorgo para níveis de calagem e molibdênio

A calagem tem sido considerada uma prática suficiente para o suprimento de molibdênio (Mo) para as culturas, pelo aumento do pH que o torna mais disponível no solo. A cultura da soja exige doses elevadas de calcário para a otimização da produtividade, o que também está relacionado com a demanda adicional de Mo para o complexo da nitrogenase, atuante na fixação do nitrogênio. Assim, o presente trabalho foi planejado para estudar as interações entre calagem e Mo, nas culturas de soja e sorgo, em um Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo da Estação Experimental de Mococa (IAC), de 1985 a 1989. Os tratamentos foram arranjados no delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com parcelas subdivididas e quatro repetições. Nas parcelas principais, foram aplicadas as doses de calcário 0, 2, 4, 6, e 8 t ha-1 (PRNT = 126%) e, nas subparcelas, as doses de Mo de 0, 50 e 100 g ha-1, aplicadas às sementes, na forma de molibdato de amônio. Foram realizados três cultivos de soja, cultivar IAC 11, e um de sorgo granífero, híbrido DK 64. Em todos os cultivos, as respostas à calagem foram acentuadas, porém reduzidas com a aplicação de molibdênio, tanto para a soja como para o sorgo. Tais resultados demonstraram a relação de substituição de calcário por Mo. A resposta da soja ao Mo foi mais acentuada na ausência do calcário, enquanto a do sorgo, mais sensível à acidez do solo, foi mais acentuada nas doses intermediárias de calcário. De modo geral, as respostas ao Mo ocorreram até o valor de pH (CaCl2 ) do solo igual a 5,2. Concluiu-se que altas produtividades de soja exigem níveis mais elevados de correção de acidez de solo, e que é possível reduzir a necessidade de calagem, para atingir a produtividade máxima, mediante a aplicação de Mo nas sementes, para ambas as culturas, principalmente num solo ácido com pouco alumínio e manganês trocáveis.

Escherchia coli ribose binding protein based bioreporters revisited.

Bioreporter bacteria, i.e., strains engineered to respond to chemical exposure by production of reporter proteins, have attracted wide interest because of their potential to offer cheap and simple alternative analytics for specified compounds or conditions. Bioreporter construction has mostly exploited the natural variation of sensory proteins, but it has been proposed that computational design of new substrate binding properties could lead to completely novel detection specificities at very low affinities. Here we reconstruct a bioreporter system based on the native Escherichia coli ribose binding protein RbsB and one of its computationally designed variants, reported to be capable of binding 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). Our results show in vivo reporter induction at 50 nM ribose, and a 125 nM affinity constant for in vitro ribose binding to RbsB. In contrast, the purified published TNT-binding variant did not bind TNT nor did TNT cause induction of the E. coli reporter system.

Efeito residual do calcário na produção de milho e soja em solo Glei Pouco Húmico

O cultivo de milho e soja em solos ácidos requer a aplicação de calcário, para elevar o pH, reduzir a toxidez de alumínio e fornecer os nutrientes cálcio e magnésio. O calcário pode ter efeito residual prolongado, sendo necessário quantificar a durabilidade e a eficiência da calagem no solo por um período longo de cultivos sucessivos. Neste trabalho, deu-se continuidade a um experimento instalado na EMBRAPA Cerrados, em 1986, em solo Glei Pouco Húmico argiloso, com doses iniciais de 0, 2, 4, 6 e 8 t ha-1 de calcário dolomítico a lanço. A partir de 1990, foi cultivado o milho em rotação com a soja, em um total de sete cultivos sucessivos. Os dados de produtividade mostraram que o calcário aplicado em 1986 tem apresentado efeito residual. A resposta das duas culturas até o quarto cultivo e da soja, no sexto cultivo, foi significativamente maior a partir da primeira dose de 2 t ha-1 de calcário. No quinto e no sétimo ano de cultivo, a produtividade do milho foi significativamente maior, respectivamente, a partir das doses de 4 e 6 t ha-1 de calcário. A produtividade relativa máxima, para a média de quatro cultivos de milho e três cultivos de soja em sucessão, foi obtida com a saturação por bases do solo de 42% para o milho e 38% para a soja. A partir do quarto ano de aplicação do calcário, a perda anual média de cálcio + magnésio trocáveis do solo nos tratamentos com calcário foi de 2 mmol c dm-3.

Efectos del tamaño de anzuelo sobre capturas y tallas del perico Coryphaena hippurus

Se evidenció alta selección interespecífica del espinel superficial experimental, al capturar 130 ejemplares de perico Coryphaena hippurus (87,8%) del total de 148 especímenes que incluyeron 8 especies entre peces, tortugas y cefalópodos; como pesca incidental se registró 1 enganche por lance de tortugas (verde Chelonia mydas y amarilla Caretta caretta). El anzuelo más eficiente para la captura de esta especie, fue el de menor calibre (Nº 6) que capturó 24,6%, el menos eficiente fue el Nº 5 (16,9%); sin embargo, mediante el ANOVA de dos vías se estableció que no existía efecto del tamaño de anzuelo sobre el número de ejemplares capturados (p= 0,963). Los anzuelos no evidenciaron una selección de tallas, al no establecerse diferencias significativas entre distribución de tallas (p= 0,538), excepto para los anzuelos Nº 2 y 6 (p= 0,084), al identificarse diferencia por efecto del tamaño de anzuelo. Las longitudes medias estimadas fueron 119,7 cm, 116,8 cm, 118,3 cm, 115,0 cm y 113,7 cm, para los anzuelos Nº 2, 3, 4, 5 y 6, respectivamente. El tamaño de anzuelo mostró un fuerte efecto sobre el tipo de enganche (p= 0,002), presentándose con mayor frecuencia los enganches en la agalla (53,1%) y boca (44,6%). Generalmente los enganches en la agalla son ocasionados por los anzuelos grandes (Nº 2 y 3), mientras que los de boca son realizados por los anzuelos más pequeños (Nº 5 y 6). La captura por unidad de esfuerzo (CPUE) global del longline experimental fue 1,2 ejemplares de perico para un esfuerzo de 1000 anzuelos por hora, lo que representa la tercera parte de la CPUE estimada para la flota comercial.