Review of the biology of the krill genus Nyctiphanes G.O. Sars, 1883 (Euphausiacea: Euphausiidae): challenges for future research on environmental change

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo F Lagos ◽  
Jaime Gómez-Gutiérrez ◽  
Amandine J M Sabadel ◽  
David J Burrit ◽  
Miles D Lamare
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Change ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Zooplankton Biomass ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Coastal Marine ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
Coastal Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Reproductive Rates ◽  
Trophic Webs

Abstract The genus Nyctiphanes G.O. Sars, 1883 (Euphausiacea, Euphausiidae) includes four extant species. These species are a conspicuous component of trophic webs of coastal marine ecosystems due to their abundance, the formation of dense aggregations, swarms, and schools, fast growth, and high reproductive rates. They dominate the bulk biomass in eutrophic Eastern Boundaries System and subtropical mesotrophic habitats, with estimates of 30–40% of the total zooplankton biomass. Species of Nyctiphanes are efficient omnivores and conversely prey for a large number of zooplanktonic and nektonic species. We review current knowledge of the biogeography, reproductive biology, physiology, biochemistry, ecology, and parasitology of the four species of Nyctiphanes. Most published information on Nyctiphanes focuses on the two species from the Pacific Ocean, N. australis G.O. Sars, 1883 and N. simplex  Hansen, 1911, and considerably less is known on the biology and ecology of N. couchii (Bell, 1853) and N. capensis  Hansen, 1911 from the Atlantic Ocean. Knowledge on the biology and ecology of the species of Nyctiphanes is still behind what is currently known for species of krill, particularly compared to Euphausia  Dana, 1850 and Thysanoessa  Brandt, 1851, and new multi-focal studies on the effects that environmental variables have on reproductive aspects, survival, growth, and physiology are especially critical to address under future environmental change.

scholarly journals Terrestrial ecosystems buffer inputs through storage and recycling of elements

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Spohn ◽  
Felipe Aburto ◽  
Todd A. Ehlers ◽  
Nina Farwig ◽  
Patrick J. Frings ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Change ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Plant Community Dynamics ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Soil Systems ◽  
Storage Pools

AbstractThis study presents a conceptual framework of buffering through storage and recycling of elements in terrestrial ecosystems and reviews the current knowledge about storage and recycling of elements in plants and ecosystems. Terrestrial ecosystems, defined here as plant-soil systems, buffer inputs from the atmosphere and bedrock through storage and recycling of elements, i.e., they dampen and delay their responses to inputs. Our framework challenges conventional paradigms of ecosystem resistance derived from plant community dynamics, and instead shows that element pools and fluxes have an overriding effect on the sensitivity of ecosystems to environmental change. While storage pools allow ecosystems to buffer variability in inputs over short to intermediate periods, recycling of elements enables ecosystems to buffer inputs over longer periods. The conceptual framework presented here improves our ability to predict the responses of ecosystems to environmental change. This is urgently needed to define thresholds which must not be exceeded to guarantee ecosystem functioning. This study provides a framework for future research to explore the extent to which ecosystems buffer variability in inputs.

scholarly journals Food-Web Structure and Functioning of Coastal Marine Ecosystems: Alvarado Lagoon and Adjacent Continental Shelf, Northern Gulf of Mexico

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Víctor H. Cruz-Escalona ◽  
María V. Morales-Zárate ◽  
Jonathan Franco- López ◽  
Leonardo A. Abitia-Cárdenas ◽  
Armando Hernández-López ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Food Web ◽  
Demersal Fish ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Trophic Relationships ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Food Web Structure ◽  
Coastal Marine ◽  
Coastal Marine Ecosystems

Introduction:The aim of the present study was to develop a trophic model characterizing simultaneously the structure and function of the two coastal marine ecosystems: Alvarado Lagoon, Mexico and adjacent continental shelf, important area for penaeid shrimps and demersal fish species.Method:The model was based on the assumption of biomass balance and describes the trophic relationships, flows of energy, and transfer efficiency of the food web, and includes 66 functional groups.Results:Results shows that 33% of the aggregate biological community biomass comes mainly second and third trophic levels. Size of aggregate flows as well as the transfer effectiveness among groups, results like those saw in other similar works. Connectance index (CI) was 0.12, meaning that there is only 12% only of the total theoretical connections exist. Results also shows that primary producers and detritus (lagoon and shelf) contribute with 60.1% of the total ascendency. Our work can be the basis for future research, which allow us to contrast alternate hypotheses about the functioning of the system.

Trace element occurrence in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas from coastal marine ecosystems in Italy

Chemosphere ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 187 ◽  
pp. 248-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.A.V. Burioli ◽  
S. Squadrone ◽  
C. Stella ◽  
C. Foglini ◽  
M.C. Abete ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trace Element ◽  
Crassostrea Gigas ◽  
Pacific Oyster ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Coastal Marine ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Coastal Marine Ecosystems

Amruthapala (Decalepis arayalpathra (J. Joseph and V. Chandras.) Venter): A Comprehensive Review on Diversity, Therapeutic Uses, and Valorization of Bioactive Constituents

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 376-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonali Mishra ◽  
Nupur Srivastava ◽  
Velusamy Sundaresan ◽  
Karuna Shanker
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolite ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Bioactive Constituents ◽  
Medicinal Uses ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Therapeutic Uses ◽  
Decalepis Arayalpathra

Background: Decalepis arayalpathra (J. Joseph and V. Chandras.) Venter is used primarily for nutrition besides its therapeutic values. Traditional preparations/formulations from its tuber are used as a vitalizer and blood purifier drink. The folklore medicinal uses cover inflammation, cough, wound healing, antipyretic, and digestive system management. A comprehensive review of the current understanding of the plant is required due to emerging concerns over its safety and efficacy. Objective: The systematic collection of the authentic information from different sources with the critical discussion is summarised in order to address various issues related to botanical identity, therapeutic medicine, nutritional usage, phytochemical, and pharmacological potentials of the D. arayalpathra. Current use of traditional systems of medicine can be used to expand future research opportunities. Materials and Methods: Available scripted information was collected manually, from peered review research papers and international databases viz. Science Direct, Google Scholar, SciFinder, Scopus, etc. The unpublished resources which were not available in database were collected through the classical books of ‘Ayurveda’ and ‘Siddha’ published in regional languages. The information from books, Ph.D. and MSc dissertations, conference papers and government reports were also collected. We thoroughly screened the scripted information of classical books, titles, abstracts, reports, and full-texts of the journals to establish the reliability of the content. Results: Tuber bearing vanilla like signature flavor is due to the presence of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (HMB). Among five other species, Decalepis arayalpathra (DA) has come under the ‘critically endangered’ category, due to over-exploitation for traditional, therapeutic and cool drink use. The experimental studies proved that it possesses gastro-protective, anti-tumor, and antiinflammatory activities. Some efforts were also made to develop better therapeutics by logical modifications in 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzaldehyde, which is a major secondary metabolite of D. arayalpathra. ‘Amruthapala’ offers the enormous opportunity to develop herbal drink with health benefits like gastro-protective, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Results: The plant has the potential to generate the investigational new lead (IND) based on its major secondary metabolite i.e. 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzaldehyde. The present mini-review summarizes the current knowledge on Decalepis arayalpathra, covering its phytochemical diversity, biological potentials, strategies for its conservation, and intellectual property rights (IPR) status. Chemical Compounds: 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 69600), α-amyrin acetate (Pubchem CID: 293754), Magnificol (Pubchem CID: 44575983), β-sitosterol (Pubchem CID: 222284), 3-hydroxy-p-anisaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 12127), Naringenin (Pubchem CID: 932), Kaempferol (Pubchem CID: 5280863), Aromadendrin (Pubchem CID: 122850), 3-methoxy-1,2-cyclopentanedione (Pubchem CID: 61209), p-anisaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 31244), Menthyl acetate (Pubchem CID: 27867), Benzaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 240), p-cymene (Pubchem CID: 7463), Salicylaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 6998), 10-epi-γ-eudesmol (Pubchem CID: 6430754), α -amyrin (Pubchem CID: 225688), 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 12127).

Political Consumerism for Sustainable Tourism

2018 ◽  
pp. 348-366
Author(s):  
Machiel Lamers ◽  
Jeroen Nawijn ◽  
Eke Eijgelaar
Keyword(s):  
Nature Conservation ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Sustainable Tourism ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Political Consumerism ◽  
Global Environmental

Over the last decades a substantial and growing societal and academic interest has emerged for the development of sustainable tourism. Scholars have highlighted the contribution of tourism to global environmental change and to local, detrimental social and environmental effects as well as to ways in which tourism contributes to nature conservation. Nevertheless the role of tourist consumers in driving sustainable tourism has remained unconvincing and inconsistent. This chapter reviews the constraints and opportunities of political consumerism for sustainable tourism. The discussion covers stronger pockets and a key weak pocket of political consumerism for sustainable tourism and also highlights inconsistencies in sustainable tourism consumption by drawing on a range of social theory arguments and possible solutions. The chapter concludes with an agenda for future research on this topic.

Disparities in Health Between Black and White Americans: Current Knowledge and Directions for Future Research

2018 ◽  
pp. 456-478
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Fuller-Rowell ◽  
David S. Curtis ◽  
Adrienne M. Duke
Keyword(s):  
Health Disparities ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Public Investment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Biological Mechanisms ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Racial Ethnic

Conceptual frameworks for racial/ethnic health disparities are abundant, but many have received insufficient empirical attention. As a result, there are substantial gaps in scientific knowledge and a range of untested hypotheses. Particularly lacking is specificity in behavioral and biological mechanisms for such disparities and their underlying social determinants. Alongside lack of political will and public investment, insufficient clarity in mechanisms has stymied efforts to address racial health disparities. Capitalizing on emergent findings from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study and other longitudinal studies of aging, this chapter evaluates research on health disparities between black and white US adults. Attention is given to candidate behavioral and biological mechanisms as precursors to group differences in morbidity and mortality and to environmental and sociocultural factors that may underlie these mechanisms. Future research topics are discussed, emphasizing those that offer promise with respect to illuminating practical solutions to racial/ethnic health disparities.

scholarly journals Protocol for a systematic review on the experience of informal caregivers for people with a moderate to advanced dementia within a domestic home setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles James ◽  
Catherine Walshe ◽  
Katherine Froggatt
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Informal Caregiving ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Advanced Dementia ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Search Terms

Abstract Background The knowledge about the experience of informal caregivers who provide care to people with moderate to advanced dementia in a domestic home setting is limited. A consequence of long hours of caregiving in addition to dealing with normal challenges of daily living is their experience of a poor quality of life. Some of their experiences may be described in terms of a feeling of powerlessness to make changes during care provision. This feeling may also suggest an experience of moral distress. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesise qualitative evidence relating to these experiences. Methods This review adopts a narrative synthesis approach. A search will be conducted for studies written in the English language in the bibliographic databases MEDLINE Complete, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Academic Search Complete covering periods from 1984 to present. Included studies will be qualitative or mixed-methods designs. The search terms will be related to dementia and caregivers, and the process will be focused on dementia at the moderate to the advanced stages within the domestic home setting. Reference lists of included papers will also be searched for additional relevant citations. Search terms and strategies will be checked by two independent reviewers. The identification of abstracts and full texts of studies will be done by the author, while the quality and the risk of bias will also be checked by the two independent reviewers. Discussion Psychological distress is cited as an experience reported within informal caregiving. For the caregiver, it is associated with a negative impact on general health. To date, no synthesis exists on the specific experience of informal caregiving for people with moderate to advanced dementia within the domestic home setting. This review considers that variation of accounts contributes to how the informal caregivers’ general experience is explored in future research. This may enable gaps in current knowledge to be highlighted within the wider context of caregiving in the domestic home setting. Systematic review registration This review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020183649).

scholarly journals Molecular Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Unraveling the Conundrum in Skeletal Muscle?

2019 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 5372-5381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigel K Stepto ◽  
Alba Moreno-Asso ◽  
Luke C McIlvenna ◽  
Kirsty A Walters ◽  
Raymond J Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Polycystic Ovary ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ovary Syndrome

Abstract Context Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine condition affecting 8% to 13% of women across the lifespan. PCOS affects reproductive, metabolic, and mental health, generating a considerable health burden. Advances in treatment of women with PCOS has been hampered by evolving diagnostic criteria and poor recognition by clinicians. This has resulted in limited clinical and basic research. In this study, we provide insights into the current and future research on the metabolic features of PCOS, specifically as they relate to PCOS-specific insulin resistance (IR), that may affect the most metabolically active tissue, skeletal muscle. Current Knowledge PCOS is a highly heritable condition, yet it is phenotypically heterogeneous in both reproductive and metabolic features. Human studies thus far have not identified molecular mechanisms of PCOS-specific IR in skeletal muscle. However, recent research has provided new insights that implicate energy-sensing pathways regulated via epigenomic and resultant transcriptomic changes. Animal models, while in existence, have been underused in exploring molecular mechanisms of IR in PCOS and specifically in skeletal muscle. Future Directions Based on the latest evidence synthesis and technologies, researchers exploring molecular mechanisms of IR in PCOS, specifically in muscle, will likely need to generate new hypothesis to be tested in human and animal studies. Conclusion Investigations to elucidate the molecular mechanisms driving IR in PCOS are in their early stages, yet remarkable advances have been made in skeletal muscle. Overall, investigations have thus far created more questions than answers, which provide new opportunities to study complex endocrine conditions.

scholarly journals Knowledge Gaps in Understanding the Etiology of Anemia in Indonesian Adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. S39-S58
Author(s):  
Kesso Gabrielle van Zutphen ◽  
Klaus Kraemer ◽  
Alida Melse-Boonstra
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Vitamin A Deficiency ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Population Group ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Folic Acid Deficiency ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Etiological Factors ◽  
Infection And Inflammation

Background: Anemia is a public health problem among adolescents in Indonesia. Strategies to prevent or treat anemia should be tailored to local conditions, taking into account its specific etiology and prevalence in a given setting and population group. Objective: This review aims to (1) identify and synthesize the current knowledge on the etiology of anemia among adolescents in Indonesia, (2) reveal knowledge gaps in this area, and (3) suggest directions for future research and programmatic work. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Medline, and WorldCat databases for peer-reviewed journal articles to identify which etiological factors were related to anemia among Indonesian adolescents. Research papers were reviewed and included in the review according to inclusion criteria. Results: Of 13 studies, 8 showed that anemia was associated with iron deficiency; 4 are suggestive of vitamin A deficiency; and 2 of folic acid deficiency. Five studies underscore different etiological determinants for anemia, such as malaria, protein and energy malnutrition, vitamin B2 deficiency, calcium, and vitamin C deficiency. Based on these findings, we developed a framework on knowledge gaps on the etiology of anemia among adolescents in Indonesia, divided in 3 levels of knowledge: (1) significant knowledge gaps, (2) knowledge gaps, and (3) established knowledge. Conclusions: The knowledge gaps around the etiology of anemia among Indonesian adolescents are significant. Our framework emphasizes the need for further research across all etiological factors, namely inadequate nutritional intake and absorption, genetic hemoglobin disorders, infection and inflammation, and menstrual disorders.

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