Detection of a Planktothrix agardhii Bloom in Portuguese Marine Coastal Waters

Cyanobacteria blooms are frequent in freshwaters and are responsible for water quality deterioration and human intoxication. Although, not a new phenomenon, concern exists on the increasing persistence, scale, and toxicity of these blooms. There is evidence, in recent years, of the transfer of these toxins from inland to marine waters through freshwater outflow. However, the true impact of these blooms in marine habitats has been overlooked. In the present work, we describe the detection of Planktothrix agardhii, which is a common microcystin producer, in the Portuguese marine coastal waters nearby a river outfall in an area used for shellfish harvesting and recreational activities. P. agardhii was first observed in November of 2016 in seawater samples that are in the scope of the national shellfish monitoring system. This occurrence was followed closely between November and December of 2016 by a weekly sampling of mussels and water from the sea pier and adjacent river mouth with salinity ranging from 35 to 3. High cell densities were found in the water from both sea pier and river outfall, reaching concentrations of 4,960,608 cellsL(-1) and 6810.3 x 10(6) cellsL(-1) respectively. Cultures were also established with success from the environment and microplate salinity growth assays showed that the isolates grew at salinity 10. HPLC-PDA analysis of total microcystin content in mussel tissue, water biomass, and P. agardhii cultures did not retrieve a positive result. In addition, microcystin related genes were not detected in the water nor cultures. So, the P. agardhii present in the environment was probably a non-toxic strain. This is, to our knowledge, the first report on a P. agardhii bloom reaching the sea and points to the relevance to also monitoring freshwater harmful phytoplankton and related toxins in seafood harvesting and recreational coastal areas, particularly under the influence of river plumes.project SNMB-INOV: Innovation for a more competitive shellfish sector - Portuguese Government, Operational Program (OP), Portugal; European Union through European Structural Funds and Investment Funds (FEEI); European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF); Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve and Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) of the University of Porto [UID/Multi/04326/2013]; RD Units Strategic Plan from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [UID/Multi/04423/2013]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Travel Choice Inertia: The Joint Role of Risk Aversion and Learning

This paper shows how travellers that are faced with a series of risky choices become behaviourally inert due to a combination of risk aversion and learning. Our theoretical analyses complement other studies that conceive inertia as resulting from the wish to save cognitive resources. We first present a model of risky travel mode choice. We show that if travellers dislike risk, and part of the quality of travel alternatives is only revealed upon usage, inertia emerges due to a learning-based lock-in effect. We extend our analyses to capture forward-looking behaviour and the provision of travel information

Determining the probability of cyanobacterial blooms: the application of Bayesian networks in multiple lake systems

A Bayesian network model was developed to assess the combined influence of nutrient conditions and climate on the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms within lakes of diverse hydrology and nutrient supply. Physicochemical, biological, and meteorological observations were collated from 20 lakes located at different latitudes and characterized by a range of sizes and trophic states. Using these data, we built a Bayesian network to (1) analyze the sensitivity of cyanobacterial bloom development to different environmental factors and (2) determine the probability that cyanobacterial blooms would occur. Blooms were classified in three categories of hazard (low, moderate, and high) based on cell abundances. The most important factors determining cyanobacterial bloom occurrence were water temperature, nutrient availability, and the ratio of mixing depth to euphotic depth. The probability of cyanobacterial blooms was evaluated under different combinations of total phosphorus and water temperature. The Bayesian network was then applied to quantify the probability of blooms under a future climate warming scenario. The probability of the "high hazardous" category of cyanobacterial blooms increased 5% in response to either an increase in water temperature of 0.8°C (initial water temperature above 24°C) or an increase in total phosphorus from 0.01 mg/L to 0.02 mg/L. Mesotrophic lakes were particularly vulnerable to warming. Reducing nutrient concentrations counteracts the increased cyanobacterial risk associated with higher temperatures

Електронний путівник і координатор (Завдання та функції інформаційного ресурсу Науково-видавничої ради НАН України «Наукові публікації і видавнича діяльність»)

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) is an important behavior when it comes to preventing or slowing down disablement caused by aging and chronic diseases. It remains unclear whether PA can directly prevent or reduce disability in activities of daily living (ADL). This article presents a meta-analysis of the association between PA and the incidence and progression of basic ADL disability (BADL). Methods: Electronic literature search and cross-referencing of prospective longitudinal studies of PA and BADL in community dwelling older adults (50+) with baseline and follow-up measurements, multivariate analysis and reporting a point estimate for the association. Results: Compared with a low PA, a medium/high PA level reduced the risk of incident BADL disability by 0.51 (95% CI: 0.38, 0.68; p < 001), based on nine longitudinal studies involving 17,000 participants followed up for 3–10 years. This result was independent of age, length of follow-up, study quality, and differences in demographics, health status, functional limitations, and lifestyle. The risk of progression of BADL disability in older adults with a medium/high PA level compared with those with a low PA level was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.42, 0.71; p < 001), based on four studies involving 8500 participants. Discussion: This is the first meta-analysis to show that being physically active prevents and slows down he disablement process in aging or diseased populations, positioning PA as the most effective preventive trategy in preventing and reducing disability, independence and health care cost in aging societies

From welcome culture to welcome limits? Uncovering preference changes over time for sheltering refugees in Germany

Europe recently experienced a large influx of refugees, spurring much public debate about the admission and integration of refugees and migrants into society. Previous research based on cross-sectional data found that European citizens generally favour asylum seekers with high employability, severe vulnerabilities, and Christians over Muslims. These preferences and attitudes were found to be homogeneous across countries and socio-demographic groups. Here, we do not study the general acceptance of asylum seekers, but the acceptance of refugee and migrant homes in citizens' vicinity and how it changes over time. Based on a repeated stated choice experiment on preferences for refugee and migrant homes, we show that the initially promoted "welcome culture" towards refugees in Germany was not reflected in the views of a majority of a sample of German citizens who rather disapproved refugee homes in their vicinity. Their preferences have not changed between November 2015, the peak of "welcome culture," and November 2016, after political debates, media reporting and public discourse had shifted towards limiting admission of immigrants. A minority of one fifth of the sample population, who were initially rather approving of refugee and migrant homes being established in their vicinity, were more likely to change their preferences towards a rather disapproving position in 2016. Experience of contact with refugees and migrants, higher education, and general pro-immigration attitudes explain acceptance of refugee and migrant homes as well as preference stability over time. Country of origin and religion of refugees and migrants are considered less important than decent housing conditions and whether refugee and migrants arrive as families or single persons. In this respect our results highlight the importance of humanitarian aspects of sheltering and integration of refugees and other migrants into society