The use of genes for performance enhancement: doping or therapy?

Recent biotechnological advances have permitted the manipulation of genetic sequences to treat several diseases in a process called gene therapy. However, the advance of gene therapy has opened the door to the possibility of using genetic manipulation (GM) to enhance athletic performance. In such ‘gene doping’, exogenous genetic sequences are inserted into a specific tissue, altering cellular gene activity or leading to the expression of a protein product. The exogenous genes most likely to be utilized for gene doping include erythropoietin (EPO), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF-1), myostatin antagonists, and endorphin. However, many other genes could also be used, such as those involved in glucose metabolic pathways. Because gene doping would be very difficult to detect, it is inherently very attractive for those involved in sports who are prepared to cheat. Moreover, the field of gene therapy is constantly and rapidly progressing, and this is likely to generate many new possibilities for gene doping. Thus, as part of the general fight against all forms of doping, it will be necessary to develop and continually improve means of detecting exogenous gene sequences (or their products) in athletes. Nevertheless, some bioethicists have argued for a liberal approach to gene doping

Ocupação das matas ciliares pelos empreendimentos do turismo de pesca no rio Miranda, Pantanal, Brasil.

A localização de Salobra e a região ribeirinha da cidade de Miranda formam o universo de pesquisa deste estudo. Essa região situa-se no Pantanal de Miranda, na parte oeste do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul. Apresenta o levantamento dos estabelecimentos turísticos na região, entre os anos de 1960 ao final da década de 90. O crescimento dos empreendimentos de turismo, particularmente os de pesca esportiva, contribuíram para a mudança do perfil socioeconômico local, com o surgimento de uma maior oferta de empregos e abertura de novos campos profissionais, destacando-se o de piloteiro. Na área ambiental, entretanto, pode-se observar o surgimento de uma paisagem modificada pelo crescimento explosivo de ranchos de pesca, às margens do rio Miranda, em área de preservação permanente. A instalação e operacionalidade dessas edificações levaram à degradação ambiental promovida pela derrubada de vegetação ribeirinha, com conseqüente erosão das área marginais ao rio, à produção de resíduos sólidos domésticos depositados a céu aberto, bem como ao despejo de efluentes na calha fluvial do Miranda.bitstream/item/37292/1/BP64.pd

Improved representation of underwater light field and its impact on ecosystem dynamics: a study in the North Sea

Understanding ecosystem state on the North-West European (NWE) Shelf is of major im18 portance for both economy and climate research. The purpose of this work is to advance our modelling of in-water optics on the NWE Shelf, with important implications for how we model primary productivity, as well as for assimilation of water-leaving radiances. We implement a stand-alone bio-optical module into the existing coupled physical-biogeo-chemical model configuration. The advantage of the bio-optical module, when compared to the pre-existing light scheme is that it resolves the underwater light spectrally and distinguishes between direct and diffuse downwelling streams. The changed underwater light compares better with both satellite and in-situ observations. The module lowered the underwater Photosynthetically Active Radiation, decreasing the simulated primary productivity, but overall the improved underwater light had relatively limited impact on the phyto plankton seasonal dynamics. We showed that the model skill in representing phytoplankton seasonal cycle (e.g phytoplankton bloom) can be substantially improved either by assimilation of satellite Phytoplankton Functional Type (PFT) chlorophyll, or by assimilating a novel PFT absorption product. Assimilation of the two PFT products yields similar results, with an important difference in the PFT community structure. Both assimilative runs lead to lower plankton biomass and increase the nutrient concentrations. We discuss some future directions on how to improve our model skill in biogeochemistry without using as similation, e.g. by improving nutrient forcing, re-tuning the model parameters and using the bio-optical module to provide a two-way physical-biogeochemical coupling, improving the consistency between model physical and biogeochemical components

Evolution of optical properties of chromium spinels CdCr2_2O4_4, HgCr2_2S4_4, and ZnCr2_2Se4_4 under high pressure

We report pressure-dependent reflection and transmission measurements on ZnCr$_2$Se$_4$, HgCr$_2$S$_4$, and CdCr$_2$O$_4$ single crystals at room temperature over a broad spectral range 200-24000 cm$^{-1}$. The pressure dependence of the phonon modes and the high-frequency electronic excitations indicates that all three compounds undergo a pressure-induced structural phase transition with the critical pressure 15 GPa, 12 GPa, and 10 GPa for CdCr$_2$O$_4$, HgCr$_2$S$_4$, and ZnCr$_2$Se$_4$, respectively. The eigenfrequencies of the electronic transitions are very close to the expected values for chromium crystal-field transitions. In the case of the chalcogenides pressure induces a red shift of the electronic excitation which indicates a strong hybridization of the Cr d-bands with the chalcogenide bands.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Scoping report on the potential impact of on-board desulphurisation on the water quality in SOx emission control areas

The input of acid substances (like SO2) into the sea has been recognized as an environmental issue that needs to be considered in terms of ocean acidification; acid inputs and techniques to deal with them have implications for member states' obligations under the Water Framework Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive. This study provides an initial assessment on the potential impact of on-board desulphurisation equipment (open loop scrubbers) on the seawater quality with focus on SOx Emission Control Areas (SECAs). The study focuses on the potential impact of shipborne SO2 on acidification (pH) of seawater in comparison to the impact from climate change. The report comprises a literature study and a dedicated modelling exercise covering the North Sea region. Most available studies and the peer reviewed literature found only a small additional impact from SO2 emissions on acidification in the various investigated parts of the world ocean. However these studies generally assessed spatially averaged effects and regional and coastal oriented studies are mostly lacking from the literature, which means that potential effects to vulnerable ecosystems in such areas have not previously been considered. A coupled hydrodynamic-chemistry model was employed to assess the impact of adding SO2 and CO2 on the complex carbonate system in sea water. The impact on the pH decrease in the open North Sea region from discharging the acid wash water into the seawater was found to be small, but not insignificant, and regionally varying. The calculated annual mean decrease of pH due to SO2 injection for the North Sea total water column is 0.00011; when considering only the change in the surface layer (0-20m), the annual decrease is 0.00024. The total annual impact from increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations on the acidification of the North Sea surface area is about 8 times stronger (0.001) than the impact from wash water injection. However because of the pronounced spatial variations the mean impact does not reflect the overall situation well. Consequently we find critical regions with high ship traffic intensity, for example along the shipping lanes and in the larger Rotterdam port area. Here, the contribution from SO2 injection can be double the impact from increasing CO2 concentrations and 20 times larger than the North Sea mean value. These critical regions indicate potential problems related to the surface water quality in ports, estuaries and coastal waters that are subject to regulation under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). In addition, the problem of decreasing pH caused by SO2 input from ship exhaust gases in regional seas (North Sea) is relevant to the obligation of the Member States to assess the environmental state of their marine areas and to establish a Good Environmental Status (GES) under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MFSD), as pH value is one of the GES criteria

An X-ray absorption spectroscopic study at the mercury LIII edge on phenylmercury(II) oxygen species

The X-ray absorption spectra of the reference and model compounds HgCl2, PhHgCl, PhHgOAc and [(PhHg)2OH][BF4].H2O have been analysed in both the XANES and EXAFS regions, and the technique was extended to determine the structures of (PhHg)2O, PhHgOH, and the basic salts PhHgOH.PhHgNO3 and PhHgOH.(PhHg)2SO4, which were previously structurally uncharacterised. Results indicate that (PhHg)2O is a molecular species with Hg-O-Hg 135°, while PhHgOH contains the [(PhHg)2OH]+ cation and is better formulated as [(PhHg)2OH]OH. The same cation is also featured in the two basic salts. Electrospray mass spectral studies of PhHgOH in aqueous solutions show that [PhHgOH2]+, [(PhHg)2OH]+ and [(PhHg)3O]+ co-exist in solution in a pH-dependent equilibrium