Clearance and persistence of Escherichia coli in the freshwater mussel Unio mancus

The excessive use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of resistant bacteria, mainly from the Enterobacterales group, with high pathogenic/zoonotic potentials that can lead to problems in public health. The increasing presence in freshwater ecosystems highlights the need to evaluate potential sentinel species as risk indicators for both ecosystem and human health. The freshwater mussels provide several ecosystem services, may represent potential sentinel species due to their ability to filter water and retain both organic and inorganic particles. We tested the capability of U. mancus to retain Escherichia coli as a model bacterial organism. Under experimental conditions, the mussels could clear suspended E. coli, facilitating its rapid elimination from water within the first 24 h after exposure. The species also presented a maximum retention time of 4 days. We also provide allometric equations correlating the filtering capacity with the length and the weight of mussel body parts often used in biometric studies. We provide a first assessment of the potential of the bivalve Unio mancus to act as a sentinel species for the detection of Enterobacterales and demonstrate the ability to act as a water cleaner.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

EXIOBASE 3: Developing a time series of detailed environmentally extended multi-regional input-output tables

Environmentally extended multiregional input-output (EE MRIO) tables have emerged as a key framework to provide a comprehensive description of the global economy and analyze its effects on the environment. Of the available EE MRIO databases, EXIOBASE stands out as a database compatible with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) with a high sectorial detail matched with multiple social and environmental satellite accounts. In this paper, we present the latest developments realized with EXIOBASE 3—a time series of EE MRIO tables ranging from 1995 to 2011 for 44 countries (28 EU member plus 16 major economies) and five rest of the world regions. EXIOBASE 3 builds upon the previous versions of EXIOBASE by using rectangular supply-use tables (SUTs) in a 163 industry by 200 products classification as the main building blocks. In order to capture structural changes, economic developments, as repor ted by national statistical agencies, were imposed on the available, disaggregated SUTs from EXIOBASE 2. These initial estimates were further refined by incorporating detailed data on energy, agricultural production, resource extraction, and bilateral trade. EXIOBASE 3 inherits the high level of environmental stressor detail from its precursor, with further improvement in the level of detail for resource extraction. To account for the expansion of the European Union (EU), EXIOBASE 3 was developed with the full EU28 country set (including the new member state Croatia). EXIOBASE 3 provides a unique tool for analyzing the dynamics of environmental pressures of economic activities over time

Response of littoral chironomid community and organic matter to late glacial lake level and environmental changes at Lago dell'Accesa (Tuscany, Italy).

International audienceThis study focuses on the response of lacustrine littoral chironomid communities to late glacial changes in limnological, environmental and climate conditions in the Mediterranean context. Late glacial chironomid (Diptera: Chironomidae) assemblages, organic petrography and geochemistry were analysed in a sediment core from the littoral zone of Lago dell'Accesa (Tuscany, Italy), where the lake-level fluctuations and the vegetation history have been previously reconstructed. Comparison of the chironomid stratigraphy to other proxies (pollen assemblages, organic petrography and geochemistry, lake-level) and regional climate reconstruction suggested the predominant influence of lake-level changes on the littoral chironomid fauna. The main lowering events that occurred during the Oldest and the Younger Dryas were followed by higher proportions of taxa typical of littoral habitats. A complementary study of organic matter suggested the indirect impact of lake-level on the chironomids through changes in humic status and habitat characteristics, such as the type of substrate and aquatic macrophyte development. Several chironomid taxa, such as Glyptotendipes, Microtendipes and Cricotopus type patens, were identified as possible indicators of low lake-level in the late glacial records. Nevertheless, this study suggested that parallel analyses of organic matter and chironomid assemblages may be needed to circumvent misinterpretation of littoral chironomid assemblage stratigraphy. There was a weak response of the chironomid assemblages to small lake-level lowerings that corresponded to the Older Dryas and Preboreal oscillations. A higher level of determination, e.g. to the species group level, may be necessary to increase the sensibility of the indicators to lake-level changes

Balance issues in monetary input-output tables

Input-output tables (IOTs) are widely used in several types of analyses. Although born in an economic context, IOTs are increasingly used for the environmental impact assessment of product systems, e.g. in environmental policy analysis, and for several others such as the accounting of greenhouse gases.However, the use in these contexts does not ensure the validity of the IOT as a consistent and robust multidisciplinary modeling tool in itself. It is in respect to certain basic requirements that IOTs should find their legitimacy. In this paper, we study their validity with respect to a well-established scientific law: the mass balance. Compliance with this basic balance is an important check for data consistency.Following such a track, we focus specifically on monetary input-output tables and we reach the conclusion that IOTs can fail in respecting the basic balance laws whenever prices differ per purchaser. Therefore caution is needed because the estimations in terms of environmental pressures can be biased. The drawback lays in the use of homogeneous prices, which determines a discrepancy in physical units between what is used and what is asked for, within and between activities. © 2014 Elsevier B.V

Addressing cultural and linguistic diversity in an online learning environment

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a growing phenomenon in the USA and Europe. A few big American platforms lead the field in terms of numbers of learners, institutions and courses on board. These platforms act as transnational platforms, and attract many European institutions because of the opportunities for visibility and branding they offer. Similarly in Europe, many platforms have emerged but no single pan-European initiative has found its own space. This is probably because of the complexity involved inaccommodatingdiverse languages, cultures and teaching approaches within the rigid structure of a Learning Management System (LMS). This paper looks at one possible response to the challenge of creating a single learning space via a multilingual and multicultural MOOC platform called EMMA, European Multiple MOOC Aggregator. It presents the results of two learner surveys with qualitative and quantitative data analysis collected within the EMMA project which aimed to assess user satisfaction with the learning experience on the platform, and whether it addressed the issue of “cultural diversity.” Initial indications suggest that learners appreciated and used the inbuilt translation systems in a multilingual approach, and that learners perceived the features and tools offered by the EMMA platform as European in feel

BIOCHEMICAL, MECHANICAL AND ENERGETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF RIGHT-VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY IN THE FERRET HEART

Ferret right Ventricular hypertrophy is characterized by a decreased and prolonged isometric contraction, associated with altered intracellular calcium (Ca2+) regulation. However myofibrillar composition, cross-bridge function and/or energy transfer may also be involved in these contractile disturbances. Therefore, mechanical properties of myofibrils have been studied with Triton X-100-skinned fibres and troponin (Tn) T and I composition has been examined. Mitochondrial function and functional activity of creatine kinase (CK) isoforms have been studied in saponin-skinned fibres of control (C) and hypertrophied (H) ferret right ventricle, to check for a possible mismatch between energy production and utilization. Our results show that neither TnT nor TnI isoform expression, nor myofibrillar Ca2+ responsiveness (similar apparent Ca2+ sensitivity and Hill coefficient) were affected by pressure-overload. Similarly, maximal tension and stiffness, as well as crossbridge cycling rate (nu) - assessed by quick length changes - were not significantly altered. Importantly, passive stiffness was dramatically increased (163+/-30 mN/mm(2)/mu m for C nu 500+/-121 mN/mm(2)/mu m for H; P<0.02). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between passive stiffness and cross-bridge cycling rate, indicating that a factor involved in the passive stiffness may affect cross-bridge kinetics. Oxidative capacity (normalized to ventricular dry weight, reflecting mitochondrial ATP production and mitochondrial CK efficacy, as well as myofibrillar CK efficacy (assessed by the shift of MgATP-rigor tension curves before and after phosphocreatine addition), were similar in both groups. These results demonstrate that ferret right Ventricular pressure-overload was accompanied by a development of myofibrils and a parallel increase of energy production capacity, transfer and utilization. Decreased compliance, probably linked to an increase in the collagen fraction and/or alterations of the cytoskeletal architecture of the overloaded ventricle, could contribute to the slower time course and decreased amplitude of the isometric twitch

Impacto ecológico de los peces continentales introducidos en la penísula ibérica

La península ibérica goza de una rica fauna de peces continentales, muchos de ellos endémicos y amenazados. Una de las causas de su declive es la introducción de especies exóticas o la translocación de algunas nativas a nuevas cuencas. En este trabajo, revisamos los impactos ecológicos de estas introducciones, desde los niveles genético e individual a los de comunidad y global, basándonos principalmente en trabajos de la península. Aunque la evidencia acumulada es considerable, el impacto ecológico de la mayoría de especies e introducciones apenas ha sido estudiado y seguramente es mucho mayor del que se conoce

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of Aloe vera and Punica granatum: onconutraceutical potential in intestinal epithelial cells

Intestinal epithelial cells play a pivotal role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Different noxious agents can damage the intestinal epithelial integrity. This damage is also associated with anticancer therapies resulting in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory factors overproduction, also at gastrointestinal level. Gastrointestinal mucositis is a frequent and severe side effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in cancer patients, affecting approximately 50 to 80% of patients [1,2]. Currently, no effective treatment exists for chemotherapy-induced mucositis, prompting the need to develop an anti-mucositis agents for use in clinics. Our study focused on the effect of Aloe barbadensis and Punica granatum combination in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) during oxidative stress and inflammatory conditions. Oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators such as ROS release, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H Quinone Dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) expression, were evaluated by cytofluorimetric tecniques. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were evaluated by ELISA assay. Aloe barbadensis inhibited ROS production both during oxidative stress and in inflammatory conditions as well as COX-2 and iNOS expression, at all tested concentrations, during inflammation in IEC-6. In the same experimental conditions, Aloe barbadensis also increased the cytoprotective enzymes HO-1 and NQO1 expression and reduced TNF-α release. The treatment of IEC-6 with Aloe barbadensis plus Punica granatum (9:1 ratio) significantly increases the activity of Aloe barbadensis alone. Our results indicate that Aloe barbadensis and Punica granatum combination could be useful to reduce the oxidative stress and inflammatory-mediated complications, also associated to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, at intestinal level. References [1] Peterson DE, Bensadoun RJ, Roila F, Group EGW. Management of oral and gastrointestinal mucositis: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines. Ann Oncol 2011; 22 (Suppl 6): vi78–84 [2] Rosenthal DI, Trotti A. Strategies for managing radiation-induced mucositis in head and neck cancer. Semin Radiat Oncol 2009; 19: 29–3