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Journal of Environmental Management Jan 2024The rapid advancement of nanotechnology has contributed to the development of several products that are being released to the consumer market without careful analysis of... (Review)
Review
The rapid advancement of nanotechnology has contributed to the development of several products that are being released to the consumer market without careful analysis of their potential impact on the environment. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are used in several fields and are applied in consumer products, technological innovations, and biomedicine. In this sense, this study aims to compile existing knowledge regarding the effects of ZnO-NPs on non-target organisms, with the goal of ensuring the safety of human health and the environment. To achieve this objective, a systematic review of the available data on the toxicity of these nanomaterials to freshwater and marine/estuarine aquatic organisms was carried out. The findings indicate that freshwater invertebrates are the most commonly used organisms in ecotoxicological tests. The environmental sensitivity of the studied species was categorized as follows: invertebrates > bacteria > algae > vertebrates. Among the most sensitive species at each trophic level in freshwater and marine/estuarine environments are Daphnia magna and Paracentrotus lividus; Escherichia coli and Vibrio fischeri; Scenedesmus obliquus and Isochrysis galbana; and Danio rerio and Rutilus caspicus. The primary mechanisms responsible for the toxicity of ZnO-NPs involve the release of Zn ions and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, the biosynthesis of ZnO-NPs has been presented as a less toxic form of production, although it requires further investigation. Therefore, the synthesis of the information presented in this review can help to decide which organisms and which exposure concentrations are suitable for estimating the toxicity of nanomaterials in aquatic ecosystems. It is expected that this information will serve as a foundation for future research aimed at reducing the reliance on animals in ecotoxicological testing, aligning with the goal of promoting the sustainable advancement of nanotechnology.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Zinc Oxide; Aquatic Organisms; Ecosystem; Nanoparticles; Vertebrates; Metal Nanoparticles; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 37890295
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119396 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jan 2024Biological methane, a major source of global methane budget, is traditionally thought to be produced in anaerobic environments. However, the recent reports about methane... (Review)
Review
Biological methane, a major source of global methane budget, is traditionally thought to be produced in anaerobic environments. However, the recent reports about methane supersaturation occurring in oxygenated water layer, termed as "methane paradox", have challenged this prevailing paradigm. Significantly, growing evidence has indicated that phytoplankton including prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae are capable of generating methane under aerobic conditions. In this regard, a systematic review of aerobic methane production by phytoplankton is expected to arouse the public attention, contributing to the understanding of methane paradox. Here, we comprehensively summarize the widespread phenomena of methane supersaturation in oxic layers. The remarkable correlation relationships between methane concentration and several key indicators (depth, chlorophyll a level and organic sulfide concentration) indicate the significance of phytoplankton in in-situ methane accumulation. Subsequently, four mechanisms of aerobic methane production by phytoplankton are illustrated in detail, including photosynthesis-driven metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-driven demethylation of methyl donors, methanogenesis catalyzed by nitrogenase and demethylation of phosphonates catalyzed by CP lyase. The first two pathways occur in various phytoplankton, while the latter two have been specially discovered in cyanobacteria. Additionally, the effects of four crucial factors on aerobic methane production by phytoplankton are also discussed, including phytoplankton species, light, temperature and crucial nutrients. Finally, the measures to control global methane emissions from phytoplankton, the precise intracellular mechanisms of methane production and a more complete global methane budget model are definitely required in the future research on methane production by phytoplankton. This review would provide guidance for future studies of aerobic methane production by phytoplankton and emphasize the potential contribution of aquatic ecosystems to global methane budget.
Topics: Phytoplankton; Ecosystem; Chlorophyll A; Methane; Cyanobacteria
PubMed: 37866611
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167864 -
Environmental Research Dec 2023Freshwater habitats hold a unique role in the survival of all living organisms and supply water for drinking, irrigation, and life support activities. In recent decades,... (Review)
Review
Plummeting toxic contaminates from water through phycoremediation: Mechanism, influencing factors and future outlook to enhance the capacity of living and non-living algae.
Freshwater habitats hold a unique role in the survival of all living organisms and supply water for drinking, irrigation, and life support activities. In recent decades, due to anthropogenic activities, deterioration in the water quality has been a long-lasting problem and challenge to the scientific fraternity. Although, these freshwater bodies have a bearable intrinsic capacity for pollution load however alarming increase in pollution limits the intrinsic capacities and requires additional technological interventions. The release of secondary pollutants from conventional interventions further needs revisiting the existing methodologies and asking for green interventions. Green interventions such as phycoremediation are natural, eco-friendly, economic, and energy-efficient alternatives and provide additional benefits such as nutrient recovery, biofuel production, and valuable secondary metabolites from polluted freshwater bodies. This systemic review in a nut-shell comprises the recent research insights on phycoremediation, technological implications, and influencing factors, and further discusses the associated mechanisms of metal ions biosorption by living and non-living algae, its advantages, and limitations. Besides, the article explores the possibility of future research prospects for applicability at a field scale that will help in the efficient utilization of resources, and improved ecological and health risks.
Topics: Metals, Heavy; Plants; Environmental Pollution; Environmental Pollutants; Ecosystem; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 37832769
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117381 -
Biological Reviews of the Cambridge... Feb 2024Traditionally, trophic ecology research on aquatic ecosystems has focused more on the quantity of dietary energy flow within food webs rather than food quality and its...
Traditionally, trophic ecology research on aquatic ecosystems has focused more on the quantity of dietary energy flow within food webs rather than food quality and its effects on organisms at various trophic levels. Recent studies emphasize that food quality is central to consumer growth and reproduction, and the importance of food quality for aquatic ecosystems has become increasingly well recognized. It is timely to synthesise these findings and identify potential future research directions. We conducted a systematic review of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-PUFAs) as a crucial component of high-quality food sources in freshwater ecosystems to evaluate their impact on a variety of consumers, and explore the effects of global change on these high-quality food sources and their transfer to higher trophic consumers within and across ecosystems. In freshwater ecosystems, algae rich in ω3 long-chain PUFAs, such as diatoms, dinoflagellates and cryptophytes, represent important high-quality food sources for consumers, whereas cyanobacteria, green algae, terrestrial vascular plants and macrophytes low in ω3 long-chain PUFAs are low-quality food sources. High-quality ω3-PUFA-containing food sources usually lead to increased growth and reproduction of aquatic consumers, e.g. benthic invertebrates, zooplankton and fish, and also provide ω3 long-chain PUFAs to riparian terrestrial consumers via emergent aquatic insects. Consumers feeding on high-quality ω3-PUFA-containing foods in turn represent high-quality food for their own predators. However, the ω3-PUFA content of food sources is sensitive to global environmental changes. Warming, eutrophication, increased light intensity (e.g. from loss of riparian shading), and pollutants potentially inhibit the synthesis of algal ω3-PUFAs while at the same time promoting the growth of lower-quality foods, such as cyanobacteria and green algae. These factors combined could lead to a significant reduction in the availability of ω3-PUFAs for consumers and constrain their overall fitness. Although the effect of individual environmental factors on high-quality ω3-PUFA-containing food sources has been investigated, multiple environmental factors (e.g. climate change, human activities, pollution) will act in combination and any synergistic effects on aquatic food webs remain unclear. Identifying the sources and fate of ω3-PUFAs within and across ecosystems could represent an important approach to understand the impact of multiple environmental factors on trophic relationships and the implications for populations of freshwater and riparian consumers. Maintaining the availability of high-quality ω3-PUFA-containing food sources may also be key to mitigating freshwater biodiversity loss due to global change.
Topics: Animals; Ecosystem; Fatty Acids; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Food Chain; Fresh Water; Invertebrates
PubMed: 37724488
DOI: 10.1111/brv.13017 -
Current Medical Imaging Aug 2023Liesegang rings (LR) are concentric acellular lamellar structures, usually found in cystic and inflammatory tissues but can also be seen in neoplastic conditions. They...
INTRODUCTION
Liesegang rings (LR) are concentric acellular lamellar structures, usually found in cystic and inflammatory tissues but can also be seen in neoplastic conditions. They have been mistakenly interpreted as various structures like psammomatous calcification, parasites, and algae. This study has aimed to systematically review and summarize the existence of LRs in both non-neoplastic and neoplastic conditions of the kidney. The systematic search in PUBMED, PUBMED CENTRAL, and EMBASE databases along with Google Scholar was performed by using Kidney, Liesegang Rings, or Liesegang structure or pseudo parasitic structure in combination with the Boolean operators ''and'' as searching terms. Data were collected for demographic characteristics and histopathology diagnosis. The search function was limited to human subjects. Two reviewers independently performed the eligibility assessment and data extraction. Eligibility inclusion criteria were all publications in the English literature worldwide related to Liesegang rings in association with kidney's non-neoplastic and neoplastic conditions, regardless of the years of publication. Also included were those cases whose full articles were unavailable, but the abstract was well-described, fulfilling our inclusive criteria. Eligibility exclusion criteria included LRs found elsewhere in the body organs apart from the kidney and availability of full text in a different language, non-human, and duplicate article/case.
METHOD
After the exclusion of the articles as per the exclusion criteria, the total articles that fulfilled the inclusive criteria were reviewed. In addition, all the articles were further cross-referenced for additional articles. All published papers retrieved from this search were considered for this review. A total of 22 records (26 cases) were found with a diagnosis of LRs in the kidney to date. Some articles were published as case series. Accordingly, 26 patients were reported to have Liesegang rings associated with kidney neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions, 12 were male and 14 were female. For one case the gender was not mentioned. LRs presented a higher frequency in individuals between the 4th and 5th decades of life. No single case was reported in infants and younger children. Regarding predisposing factors for LRs, cystic fluid contents were the most common underlying condition.
RESULT
In our practice, we encountered an unusual case of a 55-year-old female with a complaint of pain in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. The ultrasound revealed nephrolithiasis and chronic kidney disease for which a nephrectomy was performed. On the histopathological examination, there was an incidental finding of Liesegang rings and a papillary adenoma along with features of chronic pyelonephritis. Our review will provide insight into LRs in different spectrums of kidney diseases.
CONCLUSION
This study represents the first available systematic review of the literature demonstrating LRs in the kidney. Although Liesegang rings have no great clinical significance, nonetheless, their presence in both tissue and cytological specimens should be kept in mind while dealing with different lesions of the kidney as they are good mimickers of many organic and inorganic substances, parasites, and malignancies.
PubMed: 37594156
DOI: 10.2174/1573405620666230817094600 -
Marine Pollution Bulletin Sep 2023Waterborne pathogenic bacteria, including faecal indicator bacteria and potentially pathogenic Vibrio, are a global concern for diseases transmitted through water. A... (Review)
Review
Waterborne pathogenic bacteria, including faecal indicator bacteria and potentially pathogenic Vibrio, are a global concern for diseases transmitted through water. A systematic review was conducted to analyse publications that investigated these bacteria in relation to macrophytes (seagrasses and macroalgae) in coastal marine environments. The highest quantities of FIB were found on brown algae and seagrasses, and the highest quantities of Vibrio bacteria were on red algae. The most extensively studied macrophyte group was brown algae, green algae were the least researched. Macrophyte wrack was found to favor the presence of FIB, but there is a lack of information about Vibrio quantities in this environment. To understand the role of Vibrio bacteria that are pathogenic to humans, molecular methods complementary to cultivation methods should be used. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of FIB and potentially pathogenic Vibrio with macrophytes and their microbiome in the coastal marine environment.
Topics: Humans; Vibrio parahaemolyticus; Environment; Ecosystem
PubMed: 37523954
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115325 -
Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Sep 2023Macro-algae products have been shown to ameliorate the metabolic disorders state. Thus, highlighting their function as supplementary therapeutic agents can be a novel... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Macro-algae products have been shown to ameliorate the metabolic disorders state. Thus, highlighting their function as supplementary therapeutic agents can be a novel strategy for clinical therapies. This systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials aimed to summarize the effect of macro-algae consumption on serum lipid profile, glycaemic control and anthropometric factors.
METHODS
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, a comprehensive search was performed for relevant studies published up to May 2023. The Cochran's Q test and I-square (I ) tests were used to evaluate heterogeneity across the included studies. The meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects model (DerSimonian and Laird), and weighted mean difference (WMD) was considered as the pooled effect size.
RESULTS
Out of 8602 papers in the initial screening, eight clinical trials with a total of 438 participants were included into this meta-analysis. The results indicated that macro-algae supplementation significantly decreased serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) (WMD = -6.7 mg/dL; 95% CI: -12.59, -0.80; item = 0.026) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) (WMD = -8.25 mg/dL; 95% CI: -15.38, -1.12; p-value = .023). There was an increase in level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) (WMD = 0.48 mg/dL; 95% CI: -2.05, 3.01; p-value = .71) which was not statistically significant. Macro-algae supplementation reduced body mass index (BMI) (WMD = -0.28 kg/m ; 95% CI: -0.96, 0.41; p-value = .426), weight (WMD = -0.39 kg; 95% CI: -3.6, 2.83; p-value = .81), waist circumference (WC) (WMD = -0.52 cm; 95% CI: -2.71, 1.66; p-value = .64), fasting blood sugar (FBS) (WMD = -1.95 mg/dL; 95% CI: -5.19, 1.28; p-value = .24) and HbA1c (WMD = -0.02%; 95% CI: -0.14, 0.09; p-value = .66) in intervention group.
CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis indicated that macro-algae supplementation significantly decreased TC and LDL-c level. It can also increase HDL-c level and reduce anthropometric indices and glycaemic control factors.
Topics: Humans; Cholesterol, LDL; Glycemic Control; Cholesterol, HDL; Body Mass Index; Dietary Supplements
PubMed: 37469128
DOI: 10.1002/edm2.439 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2023In the last three decades, quantitative approaches that rely on organism traits instead of taxonomy have advanced different fields of ecological research through...
In the last three decades, quantitative approaches that rely on organism traits instead of taxonomy have advanced different fields of ecological research through establishing the mechanistic links between environmental drivers, functional traits, and ecosystem functions. A research subfield where trait-based approaches have been frequently used but poorly synthesized is the ecology of seagrasses; marine angiosperms that colonized the ocean 100M YA and today make up productive yet threatened coastal ecosystems globally. Here, we compiled a comprehensive trait-based response-effect framework (TBF) which builds on previous concepts and ideas, including the use of traits for the study of community assembly processes, from dispersal and response to abiotic and biotic factors, to ecosystem function and service provision. We then apply this framework to the global seagrass literature, using a systematic review to identify the strengths, gaps, and opportunities of the field. Seagrass trait research has mostly focused on the effect of environmental drivers on traits, i.e., "environmental filtering" (72%), whereas links between traits and functions are less common (26.9%). Despite the richness of trait-based data available, concepts related to TBFs are rare in the seagrass literature (15% of studies), including the relative importance of neutral and niche assembly processes, or the influence of trait dominance or complementarity in ecosystem function provision. These knowledge gaps indicate ample potential for further research, highlighting the need to understand the links between the unique traits of seagrasses and the ecosystem services they provide.
PubMed: 37021321
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1088643 -
The Science of the Total Environment May 2023Environmental DNA (eDNA) is the fastest growing biomonitoring tool fuelled by two key features: time efficiency and sensitivity. Technological advancements allow rapid... (Review)
Review
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is the fastest growing biomonitoring tool fuelled by two key features: time efficiency and sensitivity. Technological advancements allow rapid biodiversity detection at both species and community levels with increasing accuracy. Concurrently, there has been a global demand to standardise eDNA methods, but this is only possible with an in-depth overview of the technological advancements and a discussion of the pros and cons of available methods. We therefore conducted a systematic literature review of 407 peer-reviewed papers on aquatic eDNA published between 2012 and 2021. We observed a gradual increase in the annual number of publications from four (2012) to 28 (2018), followed by a rapid growth to 124 publications in 2021. This was mirrored by a tremendous diversification of methods in all aspects of the eDNA workflow. For example, in 2012 only freezing was applied to preserve filter samples, whereas we recorded 12 different preservation methods in the 2021 literature. Despite an ongoing standardisation debate in the eDNA community, the field is seemingly moving fast in the opposite direction and we discuss the reasons and implications. Moreover, by compiling the largest PCR-primer database to date, we provide information on 522 and 141 published species-specific and metabarcoding primers targeting a wide range of aquatic organisms. This works as a user-friendly 'distillation' of primer information that was hitherto scattered across hundreds of papers, but the list also reflects which taxa are commonly studied with eDNA technology in aquatic environments such as fish and amphibians, and reveals that groups such as corals, plankton and algae are under-studied. Efforts to improve sampling and extraction methods, primer specificity and reference databases are crucial to capture these ecologically important taxa in future eDNA biomonitoring surveys. In a rapidly diversifying field, this review synthetises aquatic eDNA procedures and can guide eDNA users towards best practice.
Topics: Animals; DNA, Environmental; Biological Monitoring; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; Environmental Monitoring; Biodiversity; Fishes
PubMed: 36801404
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162322 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2022, also known as spirulina, is currently one of the most well-known algae supplements, mainly due to its high content of bioactive compounds that may promote human...
UNLABELLED
, also known as spirulina, is currently one of the most well-known algae supplements, mainly due to its high content of bioactive compounds that may promote human health. Some authors have hypothesized that spirulina consumption could protect subjects from exercise-induced oxidative stress, accelerate recovery by reducing muscle damage, and stimulate the immune system. Based on this, the main goal of this review was to critically analyze the effects of spirulina on oxidative stress, immune system, inflammation and performance in athletes and people undergoing exercise interventions. Of the 981 articles found, 428 studies were considered eligible and 13 met the established criteria and were included in this systematic review. Most recently spirulina supplementation has demonstrated ergogenic potential during submaximal exercise, increasing oxygen uptake and improving exercise tolerance. Nevertheless, spirulina supplementation does not seem to enhance physical performance in power athletes. Considering that data supporting benefits to the immune system from spirulina supplementation is still lacking, overall evidence regarding the benefit of spirulina supplementation in healthy people engaged in physical exercise is scarce and not consistent. Currently, spirulina supplementation might be considered in athletes who do not meet the recommended dietary intake of antioxidants. Further high-quality research is needed to evaluate the effects of spirulina consumption on performance, the immune system and recovery in athletes and active people.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=262896], identifier [CRD42021262896].
PubMed: 36590230
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1048258