The spread of non-native species has been a subject of increasing concern since the 1980s when human-mediated transportation, mainly related to ships' ballast water, was recognized as a major vector ...for species transportation and spread, although records of non-native species go back as far as 16th Century. Ever increasing world trade and the resulting rise in shipping have highlighted the issue, demanding a response from the international community to the threat of non-native marine species. In the present study, we searched for available literature and databases on shipping and invasive species in the North-eastern (NE) and South-western (SW) Atlantic Ocean and assess the risk represented by the shipping trade between these two regions. There are reports of 44 species associated with high impacts for the NE Atlantic and 15 for the SW Atlantic, although this may be an underestimate. Vectors most cited are ballast water and biofouling for both regions while aquaculture has also been a very significant pathway of introduction and spread of invasive species in the NE Atlantic. Although the two regions have significant shipping traffic, no exchange of invasive species could be directly associated to the shipping between the two regions. However, it seems prudent to bring the exchange of ballast water between the two regions under control as soon as possible.
•44 invasive species recorded for the NE Atlantic and 15 for the SW Atlantic.•Most cited vectors are ballast water and biofouling for both regions.•Aquaculture is a very significant pathway of invasive species in the NE Atlantic.•No exchange of species was directly associated with the shipping in the study area.
Shipping is recognised as an unintentional efficient pathway for spreading non-native species, harmful organisms and pathogens. In 2004, a unique IMO Convention was adopted to control and minimize ...this transfer in ship's ballast water. This Convention entered into force on 8th September 2017. However, unlikely the majority of IMO Conventions, the Ballast Water Management Convention requires ships to comply with biological standards (e.g. concentration of organisms per unit of volume in ballast water discharges). This study aimed to apply different techniques developed to measure concentrations of viable phytoplankton in natural and treated ballast water samples and compare them with the established flow cytometry method and vital staining microscopy. Samples were collected in the English Channel over one year and on-board during ballast water shipboard efficacy tests. Natural abundance of live phytoplankton varied from 23% to 89% of the total, while for cells larger than 10 μm (a size defined by the BWM Convention) the percentage varied from 3% to 60%. An overall good correlation was seen between the measurements taken with the two fluorometers and in comparison with the flow cytometry analysis, as found in previous studies. Analysis of treated ballast water samples showed a large variation in the number of viable cells, however indicating a low level of risk on all occasions for regulatory purposes. One of the key aspects to bear in mind when sampling and analysing for compliance is to be aware of the limitations of each technique.
•Different techniques have been proposed for measuring viable cells in ballast water.•Good correlation was seen between the measurements taken with the two fluorometers.•Treated ballast water analysis showed a large variation in the number of viable cells.•It is important to be aware of each technique's limitations for CME purposes.
Biofouling is a major vector in the transfer of non-native species around the world. Species can be transported on virtually all submerged areas of ships (e.g. hulls, sea chests, propellers) and so ...antifouling systems are used to reduce fouling. However, with increased regulation of biocides used in antifoulants (e.g. the International Maritime Organization tributyltin ban in 2008), there is a need to find efficient and sustainable alternatives. Here, we tested the hypothesis that short doses of low salinity water could be used to kill fouling species in sea chests. Settlement panels were suspended at 1.5 m depth in a Plymouth marina for 24 months by which time they had developed mature biofouling assemblages. We exposed these panels to three different salinities (7, 20 and 33) for 2 hours using a model sea chest placed in the marina and flushed with freshwater. Fouling organism diversity and abundance were assessed before panels were treated, immediately after treatment, and then 1 week and 1 month later. Some native ascidian Dendrodoa grossularia survived, but all other macrobenthos were killed by the salinity 7 treatment after 1 week. The salinity 20 treatment was not effective at killing the majority of fouling organisms. On the basis of these results, we propose that sea chests be flushed with freshwater for at least 2 hours before ships leave port. This would not cause unnecessary delays or costs and could be a major step forward in improving biosecurity.
Abstract The oil spill of unknown origin that hit the Brazilian coast in 2019 led to the first activation of the National Contingency Plan, outside the scope of an exercise. The Brazilian Navy, the ...Environmental Agency and the Oil Agency worked together during the oil spill emergency at the Federal level, as the plan´s Monitoring and Evaluation Group. However, the distinctive characteristics and proportions of the incident demanded unanticipated actions. Therefore, this work aims to analyze the response actions, to evaluate policies and procedures in place and to propose improvements for the future. The paper discusses the anonymous and voluntary feedback from 150 professionals, obtained during the event, through a structured online form. The results of the survey are compared to findings in official documents, especially the Incident´s Final Report, prepared by the Brazilian Navy. The conclusion is that the Incident Command System, used to manage and coordinate clean-up operations, provided a swift and coordinated response as the oil reached the shore of 11 states. In contrast, there is a need to review the legal framework, including the Decree that established the National Contingency Plan, revisit response manuals, improve liaison and enhance communication channels among different authorities in the Brazilian Government.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a public health problem that affects over 38 million people worldwide. Although there are highly active antiretroviral therapies, emergence of antiviral ...resistant strains is a problem which leads to almost a million death annually. Thus, the development of new drugs is necessary. The viral enzyme reverse transcriptase (RT) represents a validated therapeutic target. Because the oxoquinolinic scaffold has substantial biological activities, including antiretroviral, a new series of 4-oxoquinoline ribonucleoside derivatives obtained by molecular hybridization were studied here. All synthesized compounds were tested against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT), and 9a and 9d displayed the highest antiviral activities, with IC50 values of 1.4 and 1.6 μM, respectively. These compounds were less cytotoxic than AZT and showed CC50 values of 1486 and 1394 μM, respectively. Molecular docking studies showed that the most active compounds bound to the allosteric site of the enzyme, suggesting a low susceptibility to the development of antiviral resistance. In silico pharmacokinetic and toxicological evaluations reinforced the potential of the active compounds as anti-HIV candidates for further exploration. Overall, this work showed that compounds 9a and 9d are promising scaffold for future anti-HIV-1 RT drug design.
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•4-oxoquinoline ribonucleoside with anti-HIV-1 RT activity and low cytotoxicity was prepared.•Ribonucleoside derivatives were more than 10-fold less cytotoxic than AZT.•SAR studies revealed that volume and flexibility are the key features for modulating HIV-1 RT.•Docking studies showed that the most active compounds bind to the allosteric site of the enzyme.
A series of 2-(benzodthiazol-2-yl)-8-substituted-2H-pyrazolo4,3-cquinolin-3(5H)-ones (3a-g) have been synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activities against four human ...cancer cell lines: MDA-MB-435 (breast), HL-60 (leukemia), HCT-8 (colon) and SF-295 (central nervous system). The results showed that the compounds 3b (2-(benzodthiazol-2-yl)-8-methyl-2H-pyrazolo4,3-cquinolin-3(5H)-one) and 3c (2-(benzodthiazol-2-yl)-8-bromo-2H-pyrazolo4,3-cquinolin-3(5H)-one) exhibited good cytotoxicity for three cell lines with IC(50) values lower than 5 μg/mL. Analysis of theoretical toxicity risks have shown medium tumorigenic and irritant risks related to 3b and 3c in contrast to doxorubicin, the positive control.
The dental tissue proportions of human permanent canines are one of only a few sexually dimorphic features that are present in childhood, and therefore offer the opportunity to estimate the sex of ...immature individuals. This work aims to evaluate for the first time the degree of sexual dimorphism in the three-dimensional (3D) measurements of deciduous canine dental tissues, to assess their potential in sexual assessment. Computed microtomographic techniques have been employed to analyse the maxillary and mandibular deciduous canines of 65 individuals (36 females and 29 males) of known sex and age. The teeth were scanned and the volumes and 3D surface areas of the enamel cup and the dentine–pulp complex were obtained. Our results did not show statistically significant differences in either the absolute or relative dimensions of the enamel and dentine between female and male teeth. We hence conclude that volumes and 3D surface areas of deciduous canine dental tissues do not allow for sex determination, which contrasts with what has been observed in permanent canines by other authors. The differences in the degree of sexual dimorphism in dental tissue proportions between permanent and deciduous canines seem to be due to a decrease in the intersexual variability of the dentine component dimensions. Since the dentine component is a tissue capable of responding to changes in sex hormone concentration levels, our results might indicate that hormones play a more important role in the development of sexual dimorphism in the permanent dentition than previously thought.
Identifying undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients in cardiovascular clinics could improve their management. Aiming to build an OSA predictive model, a broad analysis of clinical ...variables was performed in a cohort of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.Sociodemographic, anthropometric, life-style and pharmacological variables were recorded. Clinical measures included blood pressure, electrocardiography, echocardiography, blood count, troponin levels and a metabolic panel. OSA was diagnosed using respiratory polygraphy. Logistic regression models and classification and regression trees were used to create predictive models.A total of 978 patients were included (298 subjects with apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) <15 events·h
and 680 with AHI ≥15 events·h
). Age, BMI, Epworth sleepiness scale, peak troponin levels and use of calcium antagonists were the main determinants of AHI ≥15 events·h
(C statistic 0.71; sensitivity 94%; specificity 24%). Age, BMI, blood triglycerides, peak troponin levels and Killip class ≥II were determinants of AHI ≥30 events·h
(C statistic of 0.67; sensitivity 31%; specificity 86%).Although a set of variables associated with OSA was identified, no model could successfully predict OSA in patients admitted for ACS. Given the high prevalence of OSA, the authors propose respiratory polygraphy as a to-be-explored strategy to identify OSA in ACS patients.
As part of a continuing search for new potential anticancer candidates, we describe the synthesis, cytotoxicity and mechanistic evaluation of a series of 4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxamide derivatives as ...novel anticancer agents. The inhibitory activity of compounds 10-18 was determined against three cancer cell lines using the MTT colorimetric assay. The screening revealed that derivatives 16b and 17b exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against the gastric cancer cell line but was not active against a normal cell line, in contrast to doxorubicin, a standard chemotherapeutic drug in clinical use. Interestingly, no hemolytical activity was observed when the toxicity of 16b and 17b was tested against blood cells. The in silico and in vitro mechanistic evaluation indicated the potential of 16b as a lead for the development of novel anticancer agents against gastric cancer cells.
Human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) composition varies among lactating mothers and changes during the course of lactation period. Interindividual variation is largely driven by fucosyltransferase (FUT2 ...and FUT3) polymorphisms resulting in 4 distinct milk groups. Little is known regarding whether maternal physiological status contributes to HMO variability. We characterized the trajectories of 20 major HMOs and explored whether maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (ppBMI), mode of delivery, or parity may affect milk HMO composition. Using longitudinal breastmilk samples from healthy mothers (n = 290) across 7 European countries, we characterized HMO composion and employed mixed linear models to explore associations of maternal characteristics with individual HMOs. We observed HMO-specific temporal trajectories and milk group dependencies. We observed relatively small but significant differences in HMO concentrations based on maternal ppBMI, mode of delivery and parity. Our findings suggest that HMO composition to be regulated time-dependently by an enzyme as well as substrate availability and that ppBMI, mode of delivery, and parity may influence maternal physiology to affect glycosylation marginally within the initital period of lactation. Our observational study is the largest European standardized and longitudinal (up to 4 months) milk collection study assessing HMO concentrations and basic maternal characteristics. Time of lactation and milk groups had the biggest impact on HMO variation. Future studies need to elucidate these observations and assess the physiological significance for the breastfed infant.
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