scholarly journals Herbicide Exposure and Toxicity to Aquatic Primary Producers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Arie Vonk ◽  
Michiel H. S. Kraak

Abstract The aim of the present review was to give an overview of the current state of science concerning herbicide exposure and toxicity to aquatic primary producers. To this end we assessed the open literature, revealing the widespread presence of (mixtures of) herbicides, inevitably leading to the exposure of non-target primary producers. Yet, herbicide concentrations show strong temporal and spatial variations. Concerning herbicide toxicity, it was concluded that the most sensitive as well as the least sensitive species differed per herbicide and that the observed effect concentrations for some herbicides were rather independent from the exposure time. More extensive ecotoxicity testing is required, especially considering macrophytes and marine herbicide toxicity. Hence, it was concluded that the largest knowledge gap concerns the effects of sediment-associated herbicides on primary producers in the marine/estuarine environment. Generally, there is no actual risk of waterborne herbicides to aquatic primary producers. Still, median concentrations of atrazine and especially of diuron measured in China, the USA and Europe represented moderate risks for primary producers. Maximum concentrations due to misuse and accidents may even cause the exceedance of almost 60% of the effect concentrations plotted in SSDs. Using bioassays to determine the effect of contaminated water and sediment and to identify the herbicides of concern is a promising addition to chemical analysis, especially for the photosynthesis-inhibiting herbicides using photosynthesis as endpoint in the bioassays. This review concluded that to come to a reliable herbicide hazard and risk assessment, an extensive catch-up must be made concerning macrophytes, the marine environment and especially sediment as overlooked and understudied environmental compartments.

i-Perception ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 204166952110203
Author(s):  
Jonas K. Olofsson ◽  
Ingrid Ekström ◽  
Maria Larsson ◽  
Steven Nordin

Olfaction, the sense of smell, is characterized by a notable age-dependency such that aging individuals are more likely to have poor olfactory abilities. These impairments are considered to be mostly irreversible and as having potentially profound effects on quality of life and food behavior, as well as constituting warning signs of mortality, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. Here, we review the current state of research on aging and olfaction, focusing on five topics which we regard to be of particular relevance for the field: nutrition and health, cognition and dementia, mortality, environment and genetics, and training-based enhancement. Under each of these headlines, we provide a state-of-the-art overview and discuss gaps in our knowledge which might be filled by further research. Understanding how olfactory abilities are diminished in aging, and how they may be alleviated or recovered, involves a set of challenging tasks for researchers in the years to come.


Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Didier Hantz ◽  
Jordi Corominas ◽  
Giovanni B. Crosta ◽  
Michel Jaboyedoff

There is an increasing need for quantitative rockfall hazard and risk assessment that requires a precise definition of the terms and concepts used for this particular type of landslide. This paper suggests using terms that appear to be the most logic and explicit as possible and describes methods to derive some of the main hazards and risk descriptors. The terms and concepts presented concern the rockfall process (failure, propagation, fragmentation, modelling) and the hazard and risk descriptors, distinguishing the cases of localized and diffuse hazards. For a localized hazard, the failure probability of the considered rock compartment in a given period of time has to be assessed, and the probability for a given element at risk to be impacted with a given energy must be derived combining the failure probability, the reach probability, and the exposure of the element. For a diffuse hazard that is characterized by a failure frequency, the number of rockfalls reaching the element at risk per unit of time and with a given energy (passage frequency) can be derived. This frequency is relevant for risk assessment when the element at risk can be damaged several times. If it is not replaced, the probability that it is impacted by at least one rockfall is more relevant.


2021 ◽  
pp. 112334
Author(s):  
Serena Santonicola ◽  
Stefania Albrizio ◽  
Maria Carmela Ferrante ◽  
Mercogliano Raffaelina

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 410-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Christine Babyar

Purpose Physician stress and burnout is a serious and common concern in healthcare, with over half of physicians in the USA meeting at least one criterion for burnout. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A review on current state of physician stress and burnout research, from 2008 to 2016, was undertaken. A subsequent perspective paper was shaped around these reviews. Findings Findings reveal research strength in prevalence and incidence with opportunities for stronger intervention studies. While descriptive studies on causes and consequences of physician burnout are available, studies on interventions and prevention of physician burnout are lacking. Future research on physician stress and burnout should incorporate intervention studies and take care to avoid limitations found in current research. Accountability and prevention of physician burnout is the responsibility of the healthcare industry as a whole, and organizational strategies must be emphasized in future research. Originality/value The value of this research comes in the original comprehensive review, international inclusion and succinct summary of physician burnout research and strategies.


Chemosphere ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Murín ◽  
Juraj Gavora ◽  
Iveta Drastichová ◽  
Elena Dušková ◽  
Torben Madsen ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
V. Sautkina

The following article is devoted to the study of current state of national education and healthcare systems. The cost of services in these areas constantly increases, there for even developed countries are forced to make significant efforts in order to maintain earlier achieved results. Due to this reason countries entered into the period of constant reforms with the purpose of maintaining that high level of health and educational services for all segments of population with a constant reduction of its volume of financing. The legal aspects of these changes are requiring manifestation of the will of politicians in order to overcome the opposition of parties which are defending their interests. As an example, the main opponents of the healthcare reforms proposed by Barak Obama in the USA are Republicans who are concerned about a significant increase of a state control over the entire national insurance system. The author comes to the conclusion that only joint actions of the government and every segment of population might actually improve the quality of medical and educational services.


2009 ◽  
pp. 47-65
Author(s):  
Alessandra Dino

Territorial control is one of the most important elements for the survival of the mafia. It is an obligated path to be able to obtain and control economic activities and to penetrate into all profitable sectors. Without territorial control it is impossible to control voters and without it all relationships with politics wither and die. It is within the territory where the imposition of "pizzo" (protection money) and extortion are planned against businesses and firms. This impending presence is also the cause in which citizens and families find themselves submitted to violence, the abuse of power and, if not only, to a limitation to their sphere of action. Telling the story about the scappati is to explain how, by their use of violence, Cosa Nostra has taken away from the State its lawful supremacy over large parts of the national territory. They planned the removal or deportation, under the threat of death, of entire families connected to the mafia. This story began in 1980 and is yet to be finished. The scappati migrated to the usa during the second mafia war and today they would like to come back to Palermo. However, not all agree with this possibility. The Sicilian mafia is in a critical position and if these refugees return it could produce a drastic and unexpected change in its leadership. Reading the pizzini (small notes of mafia members), analysing these sources, reconstructing scenarios makes it is easy to image what could happen if they returned: a new bloody conflict among mafia families.Key words: Cosa Nostra, territorial control, transnational crime, maxi-trial, mafia wars, the scappati.Parole chiave: Cosa nostra, controllo del territorio, crimine transnazionale, maxiprocesso, guerre di mafia, scappati.


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