Report on the biogeochemical model of the North-Western European Shelf

The report presents the background of the newly developed marine model covering the North and Celtic Sea. The 3d-model includes all relevant hydrodynamical drivers (tides, currents, water temperature and salinity) and a biogeochemical model of the lower trophic foodweb including essential dissolved nutrients (nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, silicate, carbon and oxygen) and several phytoplankton groups. The moel results are mainly assessed for the indicators, used for the assessment of descriptor 5 ("eutrophication") within the EU Marine Strategy Framwork Directive (MSFD). The coupled model was used to simulate the present state (covering the period 2005 - 2012) and its results are compared and validated, using a variety of different datasets of observations.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

Matrix Degradation in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Associated Tuberculosis and Tuberculosis Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome: A Prospective Observational Study.

Background: Extensive immunopathology occurs in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/tuberculosis (TB) coinfection, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well-defined. Excessive matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity is emerging as a key process but has not been systematically studied in HIV-associated TB. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of matrix turnover in HIV type 1 (HIV-1)-infected and -uninfected TB patients and controls, and a prospective cohort study of HIV-1-infected TB patients at risk of TB immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS), in Cape Town, South Africa. Sputum and plasma MMP concentrations were quantified by Luminex, plasma procollagen III N-terminal propeptide (PIIINP) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and urinary lipoarabinomannan (LAM) by Alere Determine TB LAM assay. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors were cultured with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and extracellular matrix in a 3D model of TB granuloma formation. Results: MMP activity differed between HIV-1-infected and -uninfected TB patients and corresponded with specific TB clinical phenotypes. HIV-1-infected TB patients had reduced pulmonary MMP concentrations, associated with reduced cavitation, but increased plasma PIIINP, compared to HIV-1-uninfected TB patients. Elevated extrapulmonary extracellular matrix turnover was associated with TB-IRIS, both before and during TB-IRIS onset. The predominant collagenase was MMP-8, which was likely neutrophil derived and M. tuberculosis-antigen driven. Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced matrix degradation was suppressed by the MMP inhibitor doxycycline in vitro. Conclusions: MMP activity in TB differs by HIV-1 status and compartment, and releases matrix degradation products. Matrix turnover in HIV-1-infected patients is increased before and during TB-IRIS, informing novel diagnostic strategies. MMP inhibition is a potential host-directed therapy strategy for prevention and treatment of TB-IRIS

Managing Eutrophication in the Szczecin (Oder) Lagoon-Development, Present State and Future Perspectives

publishedVersio

Managing Eutrophication in the Szczecin (Oder) Lagoon-Development, Present State and Future Perspectives

publishedVersio

Report on the fourth workshop of the Network of Experts for ReDeveloping Models of the European Marine Environment

The fourth workshop of the ‘Network of Experts for ReDeveloping Models of the European Marine Environment’ was held on 19-20 November 2019 in Ispra, Italy, jointly organized by DG Environment and DG JRC (Water and Marine Resources Unit) within the framework of the Administrative Arrangements (N110661/ENV.C.2/2016/733192 and N070201/2017/765512/SER/ENV.C.2 34450.JRC) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MFSD). The aim of this workshop was to continue the information exchange between the Commission and marine modelling experts with a particular focus this year on the links between land-based management options and their impact on different aspects of the marine ecosystems downstream. A multimodel comparison approach was followed in which different marine models for the diverse EU basins were fed with common rivers’ scenarios based on a set of pre-defined pressures at continental level. Both low-trophic level models and high-trophic level models were involved in the exercise, so the uncertainty due to the model structure and deficiencies could be properly assessed. In total 19 research groups from different MS institutions provided 13 low-trophic levels models and 9 high-trophic levels models to the ENSEMBLE. General and basin-specific conclusion on the impacts of the freshwater scenarios on descriptors associated to the MSFD were drawn from the different simulations. This report summarizes the workshop and provides further detail on the presentations, discussion and conclusionsJRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

European marine modelling resources

Datasets are a subset of the JRC marine water portal which serves as the gateway to JRC products on freshwater and marine water resources, providing access to water data, publications, and maps, as well as to water projects and events. The portal brings together the products and data on marine and freshwater resources, including SEACOAST, BLUE2, Water and Ecosystems, and EMIS.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource