scholarly journals Advancing the use of molecular methods for routine freshwater macroinvertebrate biomonitoring – the need for calibration experiments

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosetta Blackman ◽  
Elvira Mächler ◽  
Florian Altermatt ◽  
Amanda Arnold ◽  
Pedro Beja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Dna ◽  
Molecular Methods ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Molecular Monitoring ◽  
Routine Application ◽  
Routine Monitoring ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Status ◽  
Dna 2

Over the last decade, steady advancements have been made in the use of DNA-based methods for detection of species in a wide range of ecosystems. This progress has culminated in molecular monitoring methods being employed for the detection of several species for enforceable management purposes of endangered, invasive, and illegally harvested species worldwide. However, the routine application of DNA-based methods to monitor whole communities (typically a metabarcoding approach) in order to assess the status of ecosystems continues to be limited. In aquatic ecosystems, the limited use is particularly true for macroinvertebrate communities. As part of the DNAqua-Net consortium, a structured discussion was initiated with the aim to identify potential molecular methods for freshwater macroinvertebrate community assessment and identify important knowledge gaps for their routine application. We focus on three complementary DNA sources that can be metabarcoded: 1) DNA from homogenised samples (bulk DNA), 2) DNA extracted from sample preservative (fixative DNA), and 3) environmental DNA (eDNA) from water or sediment. We provide a brief overview of metabarcoding macroinvertebrate communities from each DNA source and identify challenges for their application to routine monitoring. To advance the utilisation of DNA-based monitoring for macroinvertebrates, we propose an experimental design template for a series of methodological calibration tests. The template compares sources of DNA with the goal of identifying the effects of molecular processing steps on precision and accuracy. Furthermore, the same samples will be morphologically analysed, which will enable the benchmarking of molecular to traditional processing approaches. In doing so we hope to highlight pathways for the development of DNA-based methods for the monitoring of freshwater macroinvertebrates.

scholarly journals Airborne environmental DNA for terrestrial vertebrate community monitoring

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Lynggaard ◽  
Mads Frost Bertelsen ◽  
Casper V. Jensen ◽  
Matthew S. Johnson ◽  
Tobias Guldberg Froslev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Environmental Dna ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate ◽  
Detection Failure ◽  
Routine Monitoring ◽  
Community Monitoring ◽  
Wide Range

Assessing and studying the distribution, ecology, diversity and movements of species is key in understanding environmental and anthropogenic effects on natural ecosystems. Although environmental DNA is rapidly becoming the tool of choice to assess biodiversity there are few eDNA sample types that effectively capture terrestrial vertebrate diversity and those that do can be laborious to collect, require special permits and contain PCR inhibitory substances, which can lead to detection failure. Thus there is an urgent need for novel environmental DNA approaches for efficient and cost-effective large-scale routine monitoring of terrestrial vertebrate diversity. Here we show that DNA metabarcoding of airborne environmental DNA filtered from air can be used to detect a wide range of local vertebrate taxa. We filtered air at three localities in Copenhagen Zoo, detecting mammal, bird, amphibian and reptile species present in the zoo or its immediate surroundings. Our study demonstrates that airDNA has the capacity to complement and extend existing terrestrial vertebrate monitoring methods and could form the cornerstone of programs to assess and monitor terrestrial communities, for example in future global next generation biomonitoring frameworks.

scholarly journals A large-scale ecological assessment of Swiss rivers using environmental DNA for the monitoring of macroinvertebrates 

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanine Brantschen ◽  
Rosetta Blackman ◽  
Jean-Claude Walser ◽  
Florian Altermatt
Keyword(s):  
Random Forest ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Environmental Dna ◽  
Biotic Index ◽  
Reference Database ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Monitoring Methods

Anthropogenic activities are changing the state of ecosystems worldwide, affecting community composition and often resulting in loss of biodiversity. Riverine ecosystems are among the most impacted ecosystems. Recording their current state with regular biomonitoring is important to assess the future trajectory of biodiversity. However, traditional monitoring methods for ecological assessments are costly and time-intense. Here, we compare environmental DNA (eDNA) to traditional kick-net sampling in a standardized framework of surface water quality assessment. We use surveys of macroinvertebrate communities to assess biodiversity and the biological state of riverine systems. Both methods were employed to monitor aquatic macroinvertebrate indicator groups at 92 sites across major Swiss river catchments. The eDNA data were taxonomically assigned using a customised reference database. All zero-radius Operational Taxonomic Units (zOTUs) mapping to one of the 142 traditionally used indicator taxon levels were used for subsequent diversity analyses (n = 205). At the site level, eDNA detected less indicator taxa than the kick-net method and alpha diversity correlated only weakly between the methods. However, the methods showed a strong congruence in the overall community composition (gamma diversity), as the same indicator groups were commonly detected. In order to set the community composition in relation to the biotic index, the ecological states of the sampling sites were predicted by a random forest approach. Using all zOTUs mapping to macroinvertebrate indicator groups (n = 693) as predictive features, the random forest models successfully predicted the ecological status of the sampled sites. The majority of the predictions (71%) resulted in the same classification like the kick-net based scores. Thus, the sampling of eDNA enabled the detection of indicator communities and provided valuable classifications of the ecological state, when combined with machine learning. Overall, eDNA based sampling has the potential to complement traditional surveys of macroinvertebrate communities in routine large-scale assessments in a non-invasive and scalable approach.

РУССКИЙ ЯЗЫК – ЯЗЫК ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ В КГМА

2020 ◽  
pp. 50-53
Author(s):  
Г. Кульбаева
Keyword(s):  
Russian Language ◽  
Educational Activity ◽  
Official Language ◽  
Main Motivation ◽  
Language Functioning ◽  
Teaching Language ◽  
Medical Academy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Russian Language

Аннотация. В статье рассматривается вопрос о функционировании русского языка в образовательном пространстве КГМА. Большое место в работе занимает роль русского языка в учебной деятельности студентов-медиков. Мотивацией к изучению именно, русского языка являются следующие факторы: статус официального языка; возможность привлечь внимание широкого круга специалистов к своим исследованиям; понимание престижности русского языка. В статье нашли отражение различные формы работы по расширению сферы использования русского языка в медицинской академии. В работе уделено внимание и профильным учебным пособиям, разработанным автором статьи. Анализ некоторых заданий позволяет констатировать тот факт, что содержание пособии определено через компетенции, одной из которых является языковая. Ключевые слова:язык обучения, фундаментальные науки, соматические ФЕ, компетентностная основа, профессиональная направленность, жаргонная лексика. Аннотация. Макалада КММАнын билим берүү мейкиндеги орус тилин өздөштүү маселеси каралат. Орус тили студент-медиктердин окуу ишмердигинде чоң роль ойнойт. Расмий тил статусу, өз изилдөөлөрүнө көпчүлүк адистердин көңүлүн буруу мүмкүнчүлүгү, орус тилинин баркын түшүнүү, өзгөчөлөп билүүгө далил болуп эсептелет. Макалада медициналык академияда орус тили колдонуу чөйрөсүн кеңейтүү боюнча иштөөнү ар кандай формалары көрсөтүлгөн. Эмгекте макаланын автору иштеп чыккан адистик окуу колдонмолорго да көңул бурулган. Кээ бир тапшырмалардын анализи колдонмонун мазмуну компетенция, анын бирөөсү тил аркылуу аныкталганын факт катары көрсөтүүгө мүмкүндүк түзөт. Түйүндүү сөздөр: фундаменталдык илимдер, соматикалык фразеологизмдер, компетенттик негиз, профессионалдык багытталыш, жаргондук лексика. Summary. The article discusses the Russian language functioning in the of the KSMA’s educational space. Russian language plays a big role in the educational activity of the medical students. The main motivation of learning the Russian language has the following points: the status of the official language; the opportunity to attract the attention of a wide range of specialists to their research; understanding of the prestige of the Russian language. The article reflected various forms of work to expand the scope of the use of the Russian language at the medical academy. The work focuses on specialized textbooks developed by the author of the article. An analysis of some tasks allows us to state the fact that the content of the manual is determined through competencies, one of which is the language. Key words: teaching language, fundamental sciences, somatic phraseological unit, slang vocabulary.

Recycling and Reuse in the Roman Economy

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Computational Modelling ◽  
Late Antique ◽  
Roman Economy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Status ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
First Time ◽  
Site Types

The recycling and reuse of materials and objects were extensive in the past, but have rarely been embedded into models of the economy; even more rarely has any attempt been made to assess the scale of these practices. Recent developments, including the use of large datasets, computational modelling, and high-resolution analytical chemistry, are increasingly offering the means to reconstruct recycling and reuse, and even to approach the thorny matter of quantification. Growing scholarly interest in the topic has also led to an increasing recognition of these practices from those employing more traditional methodological approaches, which are sometimes coupled with innovative archaeological theory. Thanks to these efforts, it has been possible for the first time in this volume to draw together archaeological case studies on the recycling and reuse of a wide range of materials, from papyri and textiles, to amphorae, metals and glass, building materials and statuary. Recycling and reuse occur at a range of site types, and often in contexts which cross-cut material categories, or move from one object category to another. The volume focuses principally on the Roman Imperial and late antique world, over a broad geographical span ranging from Britain to North Africa and the East Mediterranean. Last, but not least, the volume is unique in focusing upon these activities as a part of the status quo, and not just as a response to crisis.

scholarly journals Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Deposition of TiO2: A Review

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 2931
Author(s):  
Soumya Banerjee ◽  
Ek Adhikari ◽  
Pitambar Sapkota ◽  
Amal Sebastian ◽  
Sylwia Ptasinska
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Pressure ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Plasma Deposition ◽  
Atmospheric Pressure Plasma ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Pressure Plasma ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Status ◽  
Deposition Techniques

Atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) deposition techniques are useful today because of their simplicity and their time and cost savings, particularly for growth of oxide films. Among the oxide materials, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has a wide range of applications in electronics, solar cells, and photocatalysis, which has made it an extremely popular research topic for decades. Here, we provide an overview of non-thermal APP deposition techniques for TiO2 thin film, some historical background, and some very recent findings and developments. First, we define non-thermal plasma, and then we describe the advantages of APP deposition. In addition, we explain the importance of TiO2 and then describe briefly the three deposition techniques used to date. We also compare the structural, electronic, and optical properties of TiO2 films deposited by different APP methods. Lastly, we examine the status of current research related to the effects of such deposition parameters as plasma power, feed gas, bias voltage, gas flow rate, and substrate temperature on the deposition rate, crystal phase, and other film properties. The examples given cover the most common APP deposition techniques for TiO2 growth to understand their advantages for specific applications. In addition, we discuss the important challenges that APP deposition is facing in this rapidly growing field.

scholarly journals Molecular survey of vector-borne diseases in two groups of domestic dogs from Lisbon, Portugal

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Mafalda Dordio ◽  
Relja Beck ◽  
Telmo Nunes ◽  
Isabel Pereira da Fonseca ◽  
Jacinto Gomes
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Status ◽  
Molecular Methods ◽  
Hepatozoon Canis ◽  
Clinical Approach ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Southern Portugal ◽  
Vector Borne

Abstract Background Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are caused by a wide range of pathogens transmitted by arthropods. They have been an issue of growing importance in recent years; however, there is limited information about the vector-borne pathogens circulating in Portugal. The aim of the present study was to detect canine vector-borne bacteria and protozoa of veterinary and zoonotic importance using molecular methods. Methods One hundred and forty-two dogs from Lisbon, southern Portugal, were tested: 48 dogs from a veterinary hospital clinically suspected of vector-borne diseases and 94 apparently healthy dogs from shelters. Anaplasma spp./Ehrlichia spp., Babesia/Theileria spp., Hepatozoon spp., and Mycoplasma spp. infections were detected by PCR from blood samples and examined under light microscopy. Other information including clinical status and diagnostic test results were collected for each animal. Results Infections were detected by PCR in 48 (33.80%) dogs. Single infections were found in 35 dogs (24.64%), and co-infections were found in 13 (9.15%) dogs. Twenty-nine (20.42%) dogs were positive for Hepatozoon spp., 15 (10.56%) for Mycoplasma spp., 11 (7.75%) for Anaplasma spp./Ehrlichia spp., and six (4.21%) for Babesia spp. DNA sequencing was used to identify Babesia vogeli (2.81%), Babesia canis (1.40%), Hepatozoon canis (20.42%), Mycoplasma haematoparvum (2.11%), Mycoplasma haemocanis (8.45%), Anaplasma platys (7.04%), and Ehrlichia canis (0.70%). Conclusions This is the first molecular identification of B. canis and M. haematoparvum in dogs from southern Portugal. This study highlights the importance of molecular methods to identify CVBD pathogens in endemic areas and helps to guide the clinical approach of veterinarians in practice.

scholarly journals Cost-efficiency assessments of marine monitoring methods lack rigor—a systematic mapping of literature and an end-user view on optimal cost-efficiency analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 193 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heini Hyvärinen ◽  
Annaliina Skyttä ◽  
Susanna Jernberg ◽  
Kristian Meissner ◽  
Harri Kuosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Cost Efficiency ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Actual Cost ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Monitoring Method ◽  
Marine Monitoring ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Cost

AbstractGlobal deterioration of marine ecosystems, together with increasing pressure to use them, has created a demand for new, more efficient and cost-efficient monitoring tools that enable assessing changes in the status of marine ecosystems. However, demonstrating the cost-efficiency of a monitoring method is not straightforward as there are no generally applicable guidelines. Our study provides a systematic literature mapping of methods and criteria that have been proposed or used since the year 2000 to evaluate the cost-efficiency of marine monitoring methods. We aimed to investigate these methods but discovered that examples of actual cost-efficiency assessments in literature were rare, contradicting the prevalent use of the term “cost-efficiency.” We identified five different ways to compare the cost-efficiency of a marine monitoring method: (1) the cost–benefit ratio, (2) comparative studies based on an experiment, (3) comparative studies based on a literature review, (4) comparisons with other methods based on literature, and (5) subjective comparisons with other methods based on experience or intuition. Because of the observed high frequency of insufficient cost–benefit assessments, we strongly advise that more attention is paid to the coverage of both cost and efficiency parameters when evaluating the actual cost-efficiency of novel methods. Our results emphasize the need to improve the reliability and comparability of cost-efficiency assessments. We provide guidelines for future initiatives to develop a cost-efficiency assessment framework and suggestions for more unified cost-efficiency criteria.

scholarly journals Key Challenges in the Status Analysis for the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan in Podgorica, Montenegro

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1037
Author(s):  
Radoje Vujadinović ◽  
Jelena Šaković Jovanović ◽  
Aljaž Plevnik ◽  
Luka Mladenovič ◽  
Tom Rye
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Motor Vehicles ◽  
Urban Mobility ◽  
Passenger Cars ◽  
Study Program ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Status ◽  
Sustainable Urban Mobility ◽  
Status Analysis

The paper presents the results of the application of a practical approach for collecting data, which provides a simple, cost efficient, and easily reproducible method that was applied to obtain the necessary data for the status analysis of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) for Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. Important data for the estimation of the existing condition of the traffic system were collected through desk research from the appropriate institutions and organizations. Several surveys and focus group interviews were conducted, in which about 5000 residents of Podgorica participated. In addition to answering questions, residents made numerous suggestions, confirming the correctness of a participatory approach in the new traffic planning paradigm that provides the SUMP with crucial advantages. A manual cordon count of traffic on five bridges for the traffic of the motor vehicles, as well as on two pedestrian-only bridges, was performed by students from the study program Road Traffic, and there are plans to repeat this in the coming years in order to enable more reliable monitoring and evaluation of the obtained data. Contemporary quality management tools such as BYPAD and ParkPAD were also used to assess the status of cycling and parking policy, respectively. It is especially important to emphasize that Podgorica is the first city in the West Balkans, and the fourth city in Europe, in which the ParkPAD tool was applied. A wide range of negative phenomena and trends was identified, like a rapid increase in the number of registered vehicles, an increase in the motorization rate and the number of traffic accidents, increased non-compliance with traffic rules, excessive use of passenger cars and auto-taxi vehicles, insufficient use of unattractive public transport, walking and cycling, etc. Based on the data collected, key challenges in status analysis in Podgorica were identified, which the SUMP should try to overcome.

scholarly journals Teaching Critical Vocabulary to Filipino Heritage Language Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 260
Author(s):  
Jayson Parba
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
World Language ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Status ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
L1 And L2

Engaging in critical dialogues in language classrooms that draw on critical pedagogical perspectives can be challenging for learners because of gaps in communicative resources in their L1 and L2. Since critically oriented classrooms involve discussing social issues, students are expected to deploy “literate talk” to engage in critiquing society and a wide range of texts. Although recent studies have explored teachers’ and students’ engagement with critical materials and critical dialogues, research that explores language development in critical language teaching remains a concern for language teachers. In this paper, I share my experience of fostering language development, specifically the overt teaching of critical vocabulary to students of (Tagalog-based) Filipino language at a university in Hawai’i. Through a discussion of racist stereotypes targeting Filipinos and the impacts of these discourses on students’ lived experiences, the notion of “critical vocabulary” emerges as an important tool for students to articulate the presence of and to dismantle oppressive structures of power, including everyday discourses supporting the status quo. This paper defines critical vocabulary and advances its theoretical and practical contribution to critical language teaching. It also includes students’ perspectives of their language development and ends with pedagogical implications for heritage/world language teachers around the world.

Recourse to Human Rights Treaty Bodies for Monitoring of the Refugee Convention

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saul Takahashi
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Refugee Convention ◽  
Body Model ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
The World ◽  
Monitoring Mechanism ◽  
The Status ◽  
Treaty Body ◽  
Refugee Issues

Nearly all human rights conventions adopt the treaty body model to monitor states parties' implementation of their treaty obligations. This monitoring mechanism provides for a quasi judicial committee, far detached from sites of many of the human rights violations it reviews. On the other hand, there is no such treaty body for the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Rather, there is the UNHCR; a large operational agency with offices all over the world, including in sites of refugee emergencies. Effective monitoring of human rights conventions would seem to require a number of factors, including independence and transparency. Legitimate monitoring would have to be strong, and would have to be seen to be strong. Criticism raised in recent years of UNHCR's monitoring methods are largely based on frustration with these points. This paper will examine these issues, and also examine whether recourse to the treaty bodies really provides an adequate remedy for refugee rights. The argument of this paper is that while the UNHCR's monitoring of the Refugee Convention is problematic in many respects, the monitoring of refugee issues by the treaty bodies is in many ways incomplete and inconsistent, and that the treaty body model does not provide refugee advocates with a comprehensive solution.

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