Fungal Contamination of Sandpits from Recreational Parks and Schools: a Potential Risk for Human Health

Sandpits used by children are frequently visited by wild life which constitutes a source of fungal pathogens and allergenic fungi. This study aimed to take an unannounced snapshot of the urban levels of fungal contaminants in sands, using for this purpose two public recreational parks, three elementary schools and two kindergartens. All samples were from Lisbon and neighboring municipalities and were tested for fungi of clinical interest. Potentially pathogenic fungi were isolated from all samples besides one. Fusarium dimerum (32.4%) was found to be the dominant species in one park and Chrysonilia spp. in the other (46.6%). Fourteen different species and genera were detected and no dermatophytes were found. Of a total of 14 species and genera, the fungi most isolated from the samples of the elementary schools were Penicillium spp. (74%), Cladophialophora spp. (38%) and Cladosporium spp. (90%). Five dominant species and genera were isolated from the kindergartens. Penicillium spp. was the only genus isolated in one, though with remarkably high counts (32500 colony forming units per gram). In the other kindergarten Penicillium spp. were also the most abundant species, occupying 69% of all the fungi found. All of the samples exceeded the Maximum Recommended Value (MRV) for beach sand defined by Brandão et al. 2011, which are currently the only quantitative guidelines available for the same matrix. The fungi found confirm the potential risk of exposure of children to keratinophilic fungi and demonstrates that regular cleaning or replacing of sand needs to be implemented in order to minimize contamination.

Calcium isotope ratios of marine carbonates and sea water

Significant variations in the isotopic composition of marine calcium have occurred over the last 80 million years. These variations reflect deviations in the balance between inputs of calcium to the ocean from weathering and outputs due to carbonate sedimentation, processes that are important in controlling the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and, hence, global climate. The calcium isotopic ratio of paleo-seawater is an indicator of past changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide when coupled with determinations of paleo-pH.

(Table 2) Biostratigraphy of marine benthic and planktonic taxa in sediment core GIK14350 near Dagebüll, northern Germany

Together with foraminifers and ostracods, echinoderm remains are very frequent in Eemian sediments of the Dagebuell Well DA-1. The appearance of holothurian sclerites is particularly noteworthy. In the present study, remains of Holothuroidea from the European Pleistocene are described. These remains could be assigned to the Recent genus Psolus OKEN 1815. Furthermore, a short synopsis of disarticulate holothurian fossils in Holocene and Pleistocene sediments is given.

Analyzation of marine snow and fecal pellets collected in sediment trap CBi-2 off Cape Blanc, Mauritania

We analyzed size-specific dry mass, sinking velocity, and apparent diffusivity in field-sampled marine snow, laboratory-made aggregates formed by diatoms or coccolithophorids, and small and large zooplankton fecal pellets with naturally varying content of ballast materials. Apparent diffusivity was measured directly inside aggregates and large (millimeter-long) fecal pellets using microsensors. Large fecal pellets, collected in the coastal upwelling off Cape Blanc, Mauritania, showed the highest volume-specific dry mass and sinking velocities because of a high content of opal, carbonate, and lithogenic material (mostly Saharan dust), which together comprised ~80% of the dry mass. The average solid matter density within these large fecal pellets was 1.7 g cm**-3, whereas their excess density was 0.25 ± 0.07 g cm**-3. Volume-specific dry mass of all sources of aggregates and fecal pellets ranged from 3.8 to 960 µg mm**-3, and average sinking velocities varied between 51 and 732 m d**-1. Porosity was >0.43 and >0.96 within fecal pellets and phytoplankton-derived aggregates, respectively. Averaged values of apparent diffusivity of gases within large fecal pellets and aggregates were 0.74 and 0.95 times that of the free diffusion coefficient in sea water, respectively. Ballast increases sinking velocity and, thus, also potential O2 fluxes to sedimenting aggregates and fecal pellets. Hence, ballast minerals limit the residence time of aggregates in the water column by increasing sinking velocity, but apparent diffusivity and potential oxygen supply within aggregates are high, whereby a large fraction of labile organic carbon can be respired during sedimentation.

Revision of title 16, U.S. code, "conservation and reclamation." [Proposed] report to accompany H.R., a bill to revise, codify, and enact into law, title 16, of the United States code, entitled "Conservation and reclamation."

At head of title: Committee print. 83d Cong., 2d sess. House report no.

Forest service wilderness management [microform] : oversight hearing before the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundredth Congress, second session ... hearing held in Washington, DC, July 26, 1988.

"Serial no. 100-63."

General management plan : Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

"NPS D-2034A"--Colophon.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska : general management plan /

Two folded maps in pocket.

Report of the Committee on a Treatise on Marine Ecology and Paleoecology, 1946-1947 /

"Presented in preliminary form as Appendix H at the Annual Meeting of the Division, May 2, 1947."

The law of insurance of the state of Ohio : including fire, life, accident, casualty, quaranty, mutual benefit, fraternal and marine insurance, and pleading, practice and evidence relating thereto, as determined by the courts and contained in the statutes ... from the earliest period to date of publication, with full annotations from the decisions of the courts of Ohio and other states /

Includes bibliographical references and index.

National capital parks.

Mode of access: Internet.

Manwood's Treatise of the forest laws : shewing not only the laws now in force, but the original of forests, what they are, and how they differ from chases, parks, and warrens; with all such things as are incident to either: together with the proper terms of art, collected out of the common and statute laws of this realm; as also from the assises and iters of Pickering and Lancaster, and several other ancient and learned authors. Treating also of the office of agistors, beadles, foresters, keepers, rangers, verderors and woodwards, and of the Courts of attachment, & c. With all the variety of cases relating to forests, chases, parks, and warrens; and all the laws concerning the game made, adjudged or repealed, since the year 1665. The whole digested under proper titles in an alphabetical order.

"Appendix. Charta de foresta, of Canvtvs, a Dane, and king of this realm; granted at a Parliament holden at Winchester, anno Dom. 1016 [and other statutes relating to forests]": p. 393-435.

Register of the commissioned and warrant officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and reserve officers on active duty.

Vols for 1943- "NAVPERS 15,018".