The Mediterranean Sea is greatly affected by marine litter. In this area, research on the impact of plastic debris (including microplastics) on biota, particularly large filter-feeding species such as the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), is still in its infancy. We investigated the possible overlap between microplastic, mesoplastic and macrolitter accumulation areas and the fin whale feeding grounds in in a pelagic Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI): the Pelagos Sanctuary. Models of ocean circulation and fin whale potential habitat were merged to compare marine litter accumulation with the presence of whales. Additionally, field data on microplastics, mesoplastics, and macrolitter abundance and cetacean presence were simultaneously collected. The resulting data were compared, as a multi-layer, with the simulated distribution of plastic concentration and the whale habitat model. These data showed a high occurrence of microplastics (mean: 0.082 items/m², STD ± 0.079 items/m²) spatial distribution agreed with our modeling results. Areas with high microplastic density significantly overlapped with areas of high macroplastic density. The most abundant polymer detected in all the sampling sites was polyethylene (PE), suggesting fragmentation of larger packaging items as the primary source. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the Pelagos Sanctuary in which the simulated microplastic distribution has been confirmed by field observations. The overlap between the fin whale feeding habitat and the microplastic hot spots is an important contribution for risk assessment of fin whale exposure to microplastics.

Objective: We wanted to obtain statistically relevant data about the efficiency of our method for the isolation of fetal nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) from the maternal circulation. Methods: More than 600 samples were investigated using a triple density gradient followed by magnetic separation of anti-CD71-labeled cells, and yields and purities of recovered NRBCs were determined. Results: The enrichment effectivity as well as the morphological condition of cells was reproducibly good, if blood samples were enriched within 48 h after sampling. The efficacy was independent of various methodological parameters and our technique was superior to other magnetic cell-sorting techniques. Mean yields and purities of NRBCs increased with increasing gestational age, ranging from 100 to 1,000 cells per 40-ml blood sample and from 0.1 to 1%, respectively, from the 6th week of gestation to term. In pregnancies with preeclampsia NRBCs were increased by a factor of 10. Conclusion: Our enrichment technique proved to be optimized with respect to various methodological parameters, which were compared in the present study, and it is efficient and reproducible for the enrichment of NRBCs from the maternal circulation in all three gestational trimesters.

The Ocean Colour Thematic Assembly Centre (OCTAC) of the Copernicus Marine Service delivers state-of-the-art Ocean Colour core products for both global oceans and European seas, derived from multiple satellite missions. Since 2015, the OCTAC has provided global and regional high-level merged products that offer value-added information not directly available from space agencies. This is achieved by integrating observations from various missions, resulting in homogenized, inter-calibrated datasets with broader spatial coverage than single-sensor data streams. OCTAC enhanced continuously the basin-level accuracy of essential ocean variables (EOVs) across the global ocean and European regional seas, including the Atlantic, Arctic, Baltic, Mediterranean, and Black seas. From 2019 onwards, new EOVs have been introduced, focusing on phytoplankton functional groups, community structure, and primary production. This paper provides an overview of the evolution of the OCTAC catalogue from 2015 to date, evaluates the accuracy of global and regional products, and outlines plans for future product development.

The estimation of chlorophyll concentration in marine waters is fundamental for a number of scientific and practical purposes. Standard ocean color algorithms applicable to moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery, such as OC3M and MedOC3, are known to overestimate chlorophyll concentration ([CHL]) in Mediterranean oligotrophic waters. The performances of these algorithms are currently evaluated together with two relatively new algorithms, OC5 and SAM_LT, which make use of more of the spectral information of MODIS data. This evaluation exercise has been carried out using in situ data collected in the North Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas during three recent oceanographic campaigns. The four algorithms perform differently in Case 1 and Case 2 waters defined following global and local classification criteria. In particular, the mentioned [CHL] overestimation of OC3M and MedOC3 is not evident for typical Case 1 waters; this overestimation is instead significant in intermediate and Case 2 waters. OC5 and SAM_LT are less sensitive to this problem, and are generally more accurate in Case 2 waters. These results are finally interpreted and discussed in light of a possible operational utilization of the [CHL] estimation methods.

We investigated the effect of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on platelet aggregation and plasma concentrations of homocysteine (Hcy) redox forms in rats in relation to the minor polar compound (MPC) concentration of EVOO. We used 3 olive oil samples with similar fatty acid but different MPC concentrations: refined olive oil (RF) with traces of MPC (control oil), native EVOO with low MPC concentration (LC), and EVOO with high MPC concentration (HC) enriching LC with its own MPC. Oil samples were administered to rats by gavage (1.25 mL/kg body weight) using 2 experimental designs: acute (24-h food deprivation and killed 1 h after EVOO administration) and subacute (12-d treatment, a daily dose of oil for 12 d, and killed after 24 h of food deprivation). Platelet aggregation was induced by ADP (ex vivo tests) and a reduction in platelet reactivity occurred in cells from rats given LC in the subacute study and in cells from rats administered HC in both studies as indicated by an increase in the agonist half maximal effective concentration. HC inhibited platelet aggregation induced by low ADP doses (reversible aggregation) in cells of rats in both the acute and subacute studies, whereas LC had this effect only in the subacute experiment. Moreover, in rats administered HC in both experiments, the plasma concentration of free reduced Hcy (rHcy) was lower and Hcy bound to protein by disulfide bonds (bHcy) was greater than in RF-treated rats. bHcy was also greater in rats given LC than in RF-treated rats in the subacute experiment. Plasma free-oxidized Hcy was greater in rats given LC and HC than in those administered RF only in the subacute experiment. In conclusion, these results show that MPC in EVOO inhibit platelet aggregation and reduce the plasma rHcy concentration, effects that may be associated with cardiovascular protection.