Influence of tobacco product wastes in a protected coastal reserve adjacent to urbanization

The present study, conducted at the Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve in San Diego, California, aimed to assess tobacco-related pollutants in urban waters, a topic with limited prior research. Across 26 events occurring between November 2019 and February 2022, encompassing both wet and dry seasons at two outfall sites (Noyes St. and Olney St.), water and sediment samples were subjected to analysis for nicotine and cotinine levels, with Noyes St. displaying wide variation in nicotine concentrations, reaching a peak of 50.75 ng/L in water samples, whereas Olney St. recorded a peak of 1.46 ng/L. Wet seasons consistently had higher nicotine levels in water, suggesting the possibility of tobacco litter entering the reserve through stormwater runoff. Cotinine was detected in both sites in both water and sediment samples; however, these levels were considerably lower in comparison to nicotine concentrations. Limited research assesses aquatic environmental pollution from tobacco use and disposal, especially in protected areas like urban natural reserves. This study was conducted at the Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve in San Diego, California, to evaluate tobacco-related pollutants in San Diego's urban waters. Twenty-six sampling events between November 2019 and February 2022, spanning wet and dry seasons at two outfall sites, were conducted. Nicotine and cotinine, a major ingredient of tobacco and its metabolite, were analyzed in the collected water and sediment samples. Nicotine concentrations differed substantially between the outfall locations (Noyes St. and Olney St.), with Noyes St. displaying wide variations, averaging at 9.31 (±13.24) ng/L with a maximum concentration of 50.75 ng/L, and Olney St. at 0.53 (±0.41) ng/L with a maximum concentration of 1.46 ng/L in water samples. In both locations, the nicotine concentrations in water samples were higher during wet seasons than dry seasons, and this pattern was more significant at Noyes St. outfall than at Olney St. outfall, which received not only stormwater runoff but also was connected to Mission Bay. Although this pattern did not directly align with sediment nicotine levels at both sites, maximum nicotine concentration in Noyes St. sediments during wet seasons was approximately 120 times higher than in Olney St. sediments. Regarding cotinine, Noyes St. outfall water averaged 3.17 ng/L (±1.88), and Olney St. water averaged 1.09 ng/L (±1.06). Similar to nicotine, the cotinine concentrations were higher in Noyes St. water and sediment compared to Olney St., but overall, the cotinine concentrations in both water and sediment were much lower than the corresponding nicotine concentrations. The study identifies urban stormwater runoff as a potential source of nicotine and cotinine pollution in a protected reserve, implicating tobacco product litter and human tobacco use as contributing factors.

Litho- and biostratigraphic data of lower-middle Miocene sections in the Transylvanian basin and SE Carpathian Foredeep (Romania)

Litho- and biostratigraphic data are provided of 5 stratigraphic sections in Romania covering the “Badenian” marine flooding that occurred in the Central Paratethys during the middle Miocene (Langhian). The dataset includes stratigraphic logs and descriptions of the profiles, and biostratigraphic analyses on calcareous nannofossils and foraminifera. In addition, characteristic stratigraphic features and representative fossils, including tiny Streptochilus foraminifera in the Campiniţa section in the SE Carpathian Foredeep, are presented in photographs. The data show that the flooding is characterized by the sudden abundance of Langhian calcareous nannofossils and foraminifera with a strong Mediterranean affinity.

Further evidence for a relationship between changes in GABA concentration in rat brain and enhanced monoamine-mediated behavioural responses following repeated electroconvulsive shock

Administration of bicuculline (3.5 mg/kg i.p.) or pentylenetetrazol (30 mg/kg i.p.) 3 min before each of a series of 5 electroconvulsive shocks (ECS), given over 10 days (1, 3, 5, 8 and 10), prevented the enhanced behavioural responses to the dopamine agonist apomorphine and the 5-hydroxytryptamine agonist quipazine 24 hr after the last application of ECS. Pretreatment with these antagonists of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) also abolished the rise in the concentration of GABA in the corpus striatum, normally seen after repeated ECS. Taken with data showing that the change in GABA concentration occurred at times when enhanced monoamine-mediated behavioural responses were seen, these results suggest that the enhanced behavioural responses following repeated ECS might be associated with changes in GABA function. Daily injection for 8 days with pentylenetetrazol (30 mg/kg) resulted in enhanced apomorphine-mediated behaviour. However, there was no change in the concentration of striatal GABA at this time.