Kunskapsunderlag för ekosystembaserad havsförvaltning i Bottenhavet

Ekosystembaserad havsförvaltning anges som ett viktigt verktyg för att nå Sveriges miljömål. Denna rapport tar ett första steg i riktning mot ett vetenskapligt underlag för att stödja ekosystembaserad havsförvaltning i ett pilotområde i södra Bottenhavet. Ekosystemkomponenter (dvs. arter och livsmiljöer) som är viktiga för modellering av ekosystemet identifieras och deras status samt faktorer som påverkar dem redovisas. Även kunskapsluckor kopplade till påverkansfaktorer diskuteras, samt hur dessa påverkansfaktorer integreras med ekosystemkomponenterna, liksom vilka ekosystemtjänster som ekosystemkomponenterna bidrar till. Många av ekosystemkomponenterna har inte god miljöstatus, särskilt grunda bottnar som har ett högt exploateringstryck. Oroväckande nog saknas det övervakning av både grunda kustnära mjukbottnar och utsjöbankar, fastän dessa områden är av intresse för exploatering samtidigt som de har hög biodiversitet och är kopplade till många ekosystemtjänster. Dock finns det en del data tillgängligt i området som kan användas vid modellering för att ta fram kartor över ekosystemkomponenter och även ekosystemtjänster, som kan vara viktiga underlag för ekosystembaserad förvaltning i södra Bottenhavet. I flera fall är kunskapen om belastningar i södra Bottenhavet och hur de kopplar till statusen av ekosystemkomponenter relativt god, men det saknas information om kumulativa effekter av påverkansfaktorer. Många av de marina arter som finns längst in i Östersjön lever här vid sin nordliga utbredningsgräns, vilket kan innebära att de är extra känsliga för mänskliga belastningar och klimatförändring. Storskaligt fiske efter strömming i utsjön och dess effekter på strömmingsbestånden kan påverka ekosystemets funktion. Strömmingen är talrik och spelar en stor roll i södra Bottenhavets ekosystem. Eftersom strömming vandrar mellan utsjön och kusten kan den koppla samman näringsvävar i kust och utsjö. I Bottenhavets område kan man se tydliga intressekonflikter gällande resursförvaltning. Traditionella lokala näringar baserar sig mycket på fiske av strömming och laxfisk, men vikande fångster av den mer storvuxna strömming som fiskas för humankonsumtion, liksom av laxfisk, skapar problem för det kustnära yrkesfisket. Här finns en uppenbar konkurrenssituation både med det storskaliga pelagiska fisket i utsjön och med naturliga predatorer. Dessa konflikter är svåra att lösa med de förvaltningsmetoder som används idag. Södra Bottenhavets ekosystem skulle sannolikt gynnas av en mer helhetsbaserad förvaltning av fiskbestånden och livsmiljöer, utifrån samtliga faktorer som påverkar dem. I kustområdet gäller detta även, inte minst, de områden där gösens och sikens status är mycket svag, liksom viktiga områden för rekrytering av gädda. En sådan mer helhetsbaserad förvaltning innefattar en samplanering av fiskeregleringar, skyddade områden och åtgärder för att restaurera och skydda diverse livsmiljöer. Förbättring av livsmiljöer för fisk förväntas även gynna andra delar av den biologiska mångfalden och ekosystemtjänster, inklusive olika arters motståndskraft och förmåga att anpassa sig till pågående klimatförändringar

Creatine ingestion augments dietary carbohydrate mediated muscle glycogen supercomposition during the initial 24 hrs of recovery following prolonged exhaustive exercise in humans

Muscle glycogen availability can limit endurance exercise performance. We previously demonstrated 5 days of creatine (Cr) and carbohydrate (CHO) ingestion augmented post-exercise muscle glycogen storage compared to CHO feeding alone in healthy volunteers. Here we aimed to characterise the time-course of this Cr-induced response under more stringent and controlled experimental conditions and identify potential mechanisms underpinning this phenomenon. Fourteen healthy, male volunteers cycled to exhaustion at 70% VO2peak. Muscle biopsies were obtained at rest immediately post-exercise and after 1, 3 and 6 days of recovery, during which Cr or placebo supplements (20g.day-1) were ingested along with a prescribed high CHO diet (37.5 kcal.kg body mass-1.day-1, >80% calories CHO). Oral-glucose tolerance tests (oral-GTT) were performed pre-exercise and after 1, 3 and 6 days of Cr and placebo supplementation. Exercise depleted muscle glycogen content to the same extent in both treatment groups. Creatine supplementation increased muscle total-Cr, free-Cr and phosphocreatine (PCr) content above placebo following 1, 3 and 6 days of supplementation (all P<0.05). Creatine supplementation also increased muscle glycogen content noticeably above placebo after 1 day of supplementation (P<0.05), which was sustained thereafter. This study confirmed dietary Cr augments post-exercise muscle glycogen super-compensation, and demonstrates this occurred during the initial 24 h of post-exercise recovery (when muscle total-Cr had increased by <10%). This marked response ensued without apparent treatment differences in muscle insulin sensitivity (oral-GTT, muscle GLUT4 mRNA), osmotic stress (muscle c-fos and HSP72 mRNA) or muscle cell volume (muscle water content) responses, such that another mechanism must be causative

Targeting membrane-bound viral RNA synthesis reveals potent inhibition of diverse coronaviruses including the middle East respiratory syndrome virus.

Coronaviruses raise serious concerns as emerging zoonotic viruses without specific antiviral drugs available. Here we screened a collection of 16671 diverse compounds for anti-human coronavirus 229E activity and identified an inhibitor, designated K22, that specifically targets membrane-bound coronaviral RNA synthesis. K22 exerts most potent antiviral activity after virus entry during an early step of the viral life cycle. Specifically, the formation of double membrane vesicles (DMVs), a hallmark of coronavirus replication, was greatly impaired upon K22 treatment accompanied by near-complete inhibition of viral RNA synthesis. K22-resistant viruses contained substitutions in non-structural protein 6 (nsp6), a membrane-spanning integral component of the viral replication complex implicated in DMV formation, corroborating that K22 targets membrane bound viral RNA synthesis. Besides K22 resistance, the nsp6 mutants induced a reduced number of DMVs, displayed decreased specific infectivity, while RNA synthesis was not affected. Importantly, K22 inhibits a broad range of coronaviruses, including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and efficient inhibition was achieved in primary human epithelia cultures representing the entry port of human coronavirus infection. Collectively, this study proposes an evolutionary conserved step in the life cycle of positive-stranded RNA viruses, the recruitment of cellular membranes for viral replication, as vulnerable and, most importantly, druggable target for antiviral intervention. We expect this mode of action to serve as a paradigm for the development of potent antiviral drugs to combat many animal and human virus infections

Increased Levels of Leukocyte-Derived MMP-9 in Patients with Stable Angina Pectoris

Objective: There is a growing interest for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in plasma as novel biomarkers in coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to identify the sources of MMP-8, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 among peripheral blood cells and further explore whether gene expression or protein release was altered in patients with stable angina pectoris (SA). Methods: In total, plasma MMP-9 was measured in 44 SA patients and 47 healthy controls. From 10 patients and 10 controls, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and neutrophils were isolated and stimulated ex vivo. MMPs, TIMPs and myeloperoxidase were measured in plasma and supernatants by ELISA. The corresponding gene expression was measured by real-time PCR. Results: Neutrophils were the dominant source of MMP-8 and MMP-9. Upon moderate stimulation with IL-8, the neutrophil release of MMP-9 was higher in the SA patients compared with controls (p,0.05). In PBMC, the TIMP-1 and MMP-9 mRNA expression was higher in SA patients compared with controls, p,0.01 and 0.05, respectively. There were no differences in plasma levels between patients and controls except for TIMP-2, which was lower in patients, p,0.01. Conclusion: Measurements of MMPs and TIMPs in plasma may be of limited use. Despite similar plasma levels in SA patients and controls, the leukocyte-derived MMP-9 and TIMP-1 are significantly altered in patients. The findings indicate that th

“We have been working overnight without sleeping”: traditional birth attendants’ practices and perceptions of post-partum care services in rural Tanzania

Background: In many low-income countries, formal post-partum care utilization is much lower than that of skilled delivery and antenatal care. While Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) might play a role in post-partum care, research exploring their attitudes and practices during this period is scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore TBAs’ practices and perceptions in post-partum care in rural Tanzania. Methods: Qualitative in-depth interview data were collected from eight untrained and three trained TBAs. Additionally, five multiparous women who were clients of untrained TBAs were also interviewed. Interviews were conducted in February 2013. Data were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze data. Results: Our study found that TBAs take care of women during post-partum with rituals appreciated by women. They report lacking formal post-partum care training, which makes them ill-equipped to detect and handle post-partum complications. Despite their lack of preparation, they try to provide care for some post-partum complications which could put the health of the woman at risk. TBAs perceive that utilization of hospital-based post-partum services among women was only important for the baby and for managing complications which they cannot handle. They are poorly linked with the health system. Conclusions: This study found that the TBAs conducted close follow-ups and some of their practices were appreciated by women. However, the fact that they were trying to manage certain post-partum complications can put women at risk. These findings point out the need to enhance the communication between TBAs and the formal health system and to increase the quality of the TBA services, especially in terms of prompt referral, through provision of training, mentoring, monitoring and supervision of the TBA servic

Grey wolf genomic history reveals a dual ancestry of dogs

The grey wolf (Canis lupus) was the first species to give rise to a domestic population, and they remained widespread throughout the last Ice Age when many other large mammal species went extinct. Little is known, however, about the history and possible extinction of past wolf populations or when and where the wolf progenitors of the present-day dog lineage (Canisfamiliaris) lived(1-8). Here we analysed 72 ancient wolf genomes spanning the last 100,000 years from Europe, Siberia and North America. We found that wolf populations were highly connected throughout the Late Pleistocene, with levels of differentiation an order of magnitude lower than they are today. This population connectivity allowed us to detect natural selection across the time series, including rapid fixation of mutations in the gene IFT8840,000-30,000 years ago. We show that dogs are overall more closely related to ancient wolves from eastern Eurasia than to those from western Eurasia, suggesting a domestication process in the east. However, we also found that dogs in the Near East and Africa derive up to half of their ancestry from a distinct population related to modern southwest Eurasian wolves, reflecting either an independent domestication process or admixture from local wolves. None of the analysed ancient wolf genomes is a direct match for either of these dog ancestries, meaning that the exact progenitor populations remain to be located.Peer reviewe