HABreports: Online Early Warning of Harmful Algal and Biotoxin Risk for the Scottish Shellfish and Finfish Aquaculture Industries

We present an on-line early warning system that is operational in Scottish coastal waters to minimize the risk to humans and aquaculture businesses in terms of the human health and economic impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their associated biotoxins. The system includes both map and time-series based visualization tools. A “traffic light” index approach is used to highlight locations at elevated HAB/biotoxin risk. High resolution mathematical modelling of cell advection, in combination with satellite remote sensing, provides early warning of HABs that advect from offshore waters to the coast. Expert interpretation of HAB, biotoxin and environmental data in light of recent and historical trends is used to provide, on a weekly basis, a forecast of the risk from HABs and their biotoxins to allow mitigation measures to be put in place by aquaculture businesses, should a HAB event be imminent

Matrix Metalloproteinase Gene Delivery for Liver Fibrosis

The resolution of advanced liver fibrosis has been recently recognized to be possible, if the causative stimuli are successfully removed. However, whether complete resolution from cirrhosis, the end stage of liver fibrosis, can be achieved is still questionable. Delivery of interstitial collagenases, such as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, in the liver could be an attractive strategy to treat advanced hepatic fibrosis from the view point that the imbalance between too few interstitial collagenases and too many of their inhibitors is the main obstacle to the resolution from fibrosis. Remodeling of hepatic extracellular matrix by delivered interstitial collagenases also facilitates the disappearance of activated hepatic stellate cells, the main matrix-producing cells in the liver, and promotes the proliferation of hepatocytes. This review will focus on the impact of the gene delivery of MMPs for the treatment of advanced liver fibrosis while discussing other current therapeutic strategies for liver fibrosis, and on the need for the development of a safe and effective delivery system of MMPs

Investigating hypoxia in aquatic environments: diverse approaches to addressing a complex phenomenon

In this paper we provide an overview of new knowledge on oxygen depletion (hypoxia) and related phenomena in aquatic systems resulting from the EU-FP7 project HYPOX (“In situ monitoring of oxygen depletion in hypoxic ecosystems of coastal and open seas, and landlocked water bodies”, www.hypox.net). In view of the anticipated oxygen loss in aquatic systems due to eutrophication and climate change, HYPOX was set up to improve capacities to monitor hypoxia as well as to understand its causes and consequences. Temporal dynamics and spatial patterns of hypoxia were analyzed in field studies in various aquatic environments, including the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, Scottish and Scandinavian fjords, Ionian Sea lagoons and embayments, and Swiss lakes. Examples of episodic and rapid (hours) occurrences of hypoxia, as well as seasonal changes in bottom-water oxygenation in stratified systems, are discussed. Geologically driven hypoxia caused by gas seepage is demonstrated. Using novel technologies, temporal and spatial patterns of watercolumn oxygenation, from basin-scale seasonal patterns to meter-scale sub-micromolar oxygen distributions, were resolved. Existing multidecadal monitoring data were used to demonstrate the imprint of climate change and eutrophication on long-term oxygen distributions. Organic and inorganic proxies were used to extend investigations on past oxygen conditions to centennial and even longer timescales that cannot be resolved by monitoring. The effects of hypoxia on faunal communities and biogeochemical processes were also addressed in the project. An investigation of benthic fauna is presented as an example of hypoxia-devastated benthic communities that slowly recover upon a reduction in eutrophication in a system where naturally occurring hypoxia overlaps with anthropogenic hypoxia. Biogeochemical investigations reveal that oxygen intrusions have a strong effect on the microbially mediated redox cycling of elements. Observations and modeling studies of the sediments demonstrate the effect of seasonally changing oxygen conditions on benthic mineralization pathways and fluxes. Data quality and access are crucial in hypoxia research. Technical issues are therefore also addressed, including the availability of suitable sensor technology to resolve the gradual changes in bottom-water oxygen in marine systems that can be expected as a result of climate change. Using cabled observatories as examples, we show how the benefit of continuous oxygen monitoring can be maximized by adopting proper quality control. Finally, we discuss strategies for state-of-the-art data archiving and dissemination in compliance with global standards, and how ocean observations can contribute to global earth observation attempts

Early Warning Systems for Shellfish Safety: The Pivotal Role of Computational Science

Toxins from harmful algae and certain food pathogens (Escherichia coli and Norovirus) found in shellfish can cause significant health problems to the public and have a negative impact on the economy. For the most part, these outbreaks cannot be prevented but, with the right technology and know-how, they can be predicted. These Early Warning Systems (EWS) require reliable data from multiple sources: satellite imagery, in situ data and numerical tools. The data is processed and analyzed and a short-term forecast is produced. Computational science is at the heart of any EWS. Current models and forecast systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated as more is known about the dynamics of an outbreak. This paper discusses the need, main components and future challenges of EWS