Coordination of pollution-related MSFD measures in the Mediterranean - Where we stand now and insights for the future.

Various pollutants keep threatening the environmental status of the Mediterranean Sea, while the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires that Good Environmental Status needs to be achieved in European Seas by 2020. Previous reviews already established that the ambition levels of national Programmes of Measures (PoMs) are low. This study focuses on the analyses of the levels of coherence and coordination of the proposed PoMs in the Mediterranean, concentrating on nutrient, contaminant, and marine litter pollution, as well as the introduction of non-indigenous species. Coherence and pollinator analyses of the proposed measures of Mediterranean EU Member States (MS) were performed. The results demonstrate that while the current coordination between MS is almost non-existent, several measures are already addressing the same pressures in similar ways and could be easily coordinated on transnational level. Increased coordination and coherence of PoMs in the Mediterranean are vital for achieving good environmental status in future years.

Floating plastics in Adriatic waters (Mediterranean Sea): From the macro- to the micro-scale.

Macro- and microplastics abundances were determined in the Adriatic Sea following the MSFD TG10 protocol. The studied areas included populated gulfs, river outlets and offshore waters in five Adriatic countries. The use of small ships enabled us to detect small sized plastics (2.5-5 cm) and record average macroplastics densities of 251 ±â€¯601 items km-2, one order of magnitude higher than previously considered. Results from manta net tows for microplastics revealed an average abundance of 315,009 ±â€¯568,578 items km-2 (217 ±â€¯575 g km-2). We found significantly higher microplastics abundances in nearshore (≤4 km) than in offshore waters (>4 km) and this trend seems to affect also the small sized macro plastic fragments (2.5-5 cm). The dominant polymers were polyethylene and polypropylene while the presence of some rare polymers and waxes used in food and dentistry indicated waste water treatment plants as potential sources of microplastics.

Trans-Activation Response Element RNA is Detectable in the Plasma of a Subset of Aviremic HIV-1-Infected Patients.

Determining the HIV-1 reservoir size in infected individuals is of great importance for improvement of their treatment. Plasma trans-activation response element (TAR) RNA has been suggested as one of the possible biomarkers. TAR RNA is produced during non-processive transcription in HIV-1 productively infected and latent T cells. Here, plasma samples and paired exosome samples of 55 subjects from the observational SCOPE cohort were analysed for the presence of TAR RNA. First, a PCR-based assay was optimized, which provided 100% specificity and 100% sensitivity in differentiating HIV-1 infected non-controllers from uninfected individuals. Next, TAR RNA was detected in the plasma of 63% of aviremic HIV-1-infected patients, who were either treated with antiretroviral therapy or were elite controllers. Although TAR RNA levels did not correlate with patient gender, age, CD4 levels, CD8 levels, they tended to correlate with CD4/CD8 ratio (P = 0.047). This study is the first to investigate plasma TAR RNA in a relatively large cohort of HIV-1-infected patients. We additionally show that the TAR RNA molecules in the plasma of aviremic patients are not limited to exosomes.

Estudo dos componentes lipídicos das sementes de três espécies do gênero Cordia L. (Boraginaceae) / Lipids compounds study from seeds of three Cordia L. species (Boraginaceae)

Sementes de três espécies de Cordia L., da família Boraginaceae, coletadas em diferentes cidades do Estado de São Paulo foram analisadas quanto ao teor de lipídeos e composição de ácidos graxos, com ênfase na presença do ácido gama-linolênico, um ácido graxo de grande interesse terapêutico. Os lipídeos totais foram fracionados em classes (lipídeos neutros, fosfolipídeos e glicolipídeos) através de cromatografia em coluna aberta de gel de sílica e a composição de ácidos graxos foi determinada por cromatografia a gás. As concentrações de lipídeos totais apresentaram grande variação entre as amostras (25,84 a 62,81 por cento), sendo que a classe lipídica dominante foi de lipídeos neutros (média de 88,9 por cento dos lipídeos totais). Os ácidos insaturados representaram 75 por cento da composição total dos ácidos graxos, sendo o principal representante o ácido oléico. Verificou-se a presença do ácido gama-linolênico em todas as amostras analisadas, em concentrações que variaram de 0,63 a 2,54 por cento, valores superiores àqueles relatados pela literatura para outras espécies do gênero Cordia L.

Seeds of three Cordia L. species (Boraginaceae), collected in different cities of the State of São Paulo were analysed in relation to the lipid content and fatty acid composition, with emphasis on the presence of gamma-linolenic acid, a fatty acid with therapeutical interest. The total lipids were separated into classes (neutral lipids, phospholipids and glucolipids) by open column chromatography with silica gel and the fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography. Although the levels of total lipids varied considerably between samples (25.84 to 62.81 percent), the dominant class was that of neutral lipids (88.9 percent of the total lipids). The insaturated acids represented 75 percent of the total composition of fatty acids, with oleic acid being the main representative. The presence of gamma-linolenic acid was ascertained in all the samples analysed, in concentrations from 0.63 to 2.54 percent, higher values than those related in literature for other Cordia.

Nonprescription chlorpheniramine maleate and submaximal exercise responses.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if a single, over-the-counter dose of the H1 antagonist chlorpheniramine maleate (CM) alters total peripheral resistance (TPR) and oxygen uptake (VO2) during submaximal exercise. DESIGN: The study was a prospective, longitudinal, double-blind, random crossover analysis of the cardiovascular and respiratory responses to a single bout of moderately intense exercise. SETTING: Exercise tests were conducted in an exercise laboratory equipped with expired gas analysis and bioelectrical impedance cardiographic monitoring capabilities. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects were 18 (9 men, 9 women) volunteers (age=29.5+/-3.6yrs; weight=70.7+/-1.1kg), free from exercise-limiting pathology and rhinitis. INTERVENTION: Each subject completed a maximal exercise tolerance test on the cycle ergometer followed by two randomly ordered submaximal exercise tests at a power output of 50% of the peak power attained on the maximal test: the first, 2 hours after ingesting 4mg of CM, the second, 2 hours after ingesting a placebo. The submaximal exercise tests lasted 20min and data were recorded at 5, 10, 15, and 20min of exercise during both the CM and placebo tests. Tests were completed approximately 48 hours apart. RESULTS: Average VO2 was 1,488+/-367mL/min for the CM test and 1,477+/-351mL/min for the placebo test. TPR was 12.3+/-7.4PRU for the CM and 11.3+/-4.5PRU for the placebo tests. Analysis of variance revealed that these scores were statistically similar. CONCLUSION: A single over-the-counter dose of CM does not alter TPR or VO2 during submaximal exercise.

Class II transactivator (CIITA) is sufficient for the inducible expression of major histocompatibility complex class II genes.

The class II transactivator (CIITA) has been shown to be required for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II gene expression in B cells and its deficiency is responsible for a hereditary MHC class II deficiency. Here we show that CIITA is also involved in the inducible expression of class II genes upon interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment. The expression of CIITA is also inducible with IFN-gamma before the induction of MHC class II mRNA. In addition, CIITA mRNA expression does not require new protein synthesis, although new protein synthesis is necessary for the transcription of class II. This suggests that synthesis of new CIITA protein may be essential to induce class II gene expression. We also showed that the JAK1 protein tyrosine kinase activity is required to induce the expression of CIITA upon IFN-gamma stimulation. This finding indicates that CIITA is part of the signaling cascade from the IFN-gamma receptor to the activation of class II genes. In addition, the expression of CIITA is sufficient to activate class II genes in the absence of IFN-gamma stimulation suggesting that CIITA is the major regulatory factor for the inducible expression of class II genes. Together, these data suggest that CIITA is the IFN-inducible cycloheximide sensitive factor previously shown to be required for the induction of MHC class II gene expression.

Trans-dominant Tat mutants with alterations in the basic domain inhibit HIV-1 gene expression.

The Tat protein of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is required for efficient viral gene expression. By means of mutational analyses, several domains of the Tat protein that are required for complete activation of HIV-1 gene expression have been defined. These include an amino-terminal activating domain, a cysteine-rich dimerization domain, and a basic domain important in the binding of Tat to the trans-activation response element (TAR) and in Tat nuclear localization. Recently, we described a mutation, known as delta tat, which resulted in a protein with a truncated basic domain. This protein had a "trans-dominant" phenotype in that it inhibited wild-type Tat activation of the HIV-1 LTR. To further characterize the requirements for generating a Tat trans-dominant phenotype, we constructed a variety of Tat proteins with truncations or substitutions in the basic domain. A number of these proteins showed a trans-dominant phenotype. These Tat mutants also inhibited activation of the HIV-1 LTR by a protein composed of Tat fused to the prokaryotic R17 (phage MS2) RNA-binding protein in which the R17 recognition element was inserted in the HIV-1 LTR in place of TAR. Thus, an intact TAR element was not required for this inhibition. We also studied the cellular localization of Tat and a trans-dominant Tat mutant by means of immunofluorescence staining with the use of antibodies reactive to different domains of the Tat protein. The results indicated that Tat becomes localized predominantly in the nucleus both in the presence and absence of the trans-dominant Tat construct, suggesting that the trans-dominant mutant does not inhibit Tat nuclear localization. These studies further define the requirements for the creation of trans-dominant Tat mutants, and suggest that the mechanism of trans-dominant Tat inhibition may be either the formation of an inactive complex between wild-type and mutant Tat or sequestration of cellular factors involved in regulating HIV-1 gene expression.