Food Limitation Research Articles

Risk assessment of four toxic heavy metals in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems around BSCIC tannery industrial estate of Savar, Dhaka,Bangladesh.

The shifting of tannery industries from Hazaribagh to Savar adjacent to Dhaleshwari River might have inevitable adverse impacts, especially the heavy metal contamination of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The study was carried out to investigate the concentrations of four heavy metals in the soil, water, and plant samples collected from around Dhaleshwari River adjacent to the Bangladesh Small & Cottage Industries Corporation Tannery Industrial Estate, Dhaka. This study revealed that average concentrations of cadmium and chromium in soil exceeded the maximum permissible limit of World Health Organization (1996) and average concentrations of lead, cadmium, and chromium in water exceeded the maximum permissible limit of World Health Organization (2011) and Environmental Conservation Rules (1997). The average concentrations of lead, cadmium, and chromium in the roots and shoots of both Eichhornia crassipes and Cynodon dactylon exceeded the maximum permissible limit of Food and Agriculture Organization/ World Health Organization (2016). Ecological risk assessment using indices model for soil pollution indicated that soil is mostly contaminated with cadmium and chromium which can pose strong ecological risk Health risk assessment using indices model for water pollution revealed the high degree of contamination and unacceptable non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk for adults as well as children through ingestion of water. Average bioconcentration factor and bioaccumulation factor were higher in Eichhornia crassipes than Cynodon dactylon for lead, cadmium, and chromium. Average translocation factor was also higher in Eichhornia crassipes for all the metals except cadmium. It is suggested remedial and mitigation measures be instituted to control environmental degradation of the newly established Tannery Industrial Estate.

Cadmium phytoremediation potential of Houttuynia cordata: Insights from growth, uptake, and rhizosphere mechanisms

Cadmium (Cd) pollutes 7.0 % of China’s land area. This study examined the potential of Houttuynia cordata for Cd phytoremediation because of its ability to accumulate Cd in its growth matrix. H. cordata were planted in plastic pots filled with paddy field soils having low (LCd), medium (MCd), and high (HCd) Cd levels of 0.19, 0.69, and 2.91 mg/kg, respectively. After six months of growth, harvested plant parts were evaluated for Cd uptake and tolerance mechanisms. Metabolomics and metagenomics approaches were employed to investigate the soil rhizosphere mechanism. Results showed that the average plant biomass increased as soil Cd increased. The biomass Cd contents surpassed the allowable Cd limits for food (≤ 0.2 mg/kg) and medicinal uses (≤ 0.3 mg/kg). Cd contents were higher in H. cordata roots (30.59–86.27 mg/kg) than in other plant parts (0.63–2.90 mg/kg), with significantly increasing values as Cd soil level increased. Phenolic acids, lipids, amino acids and derivatives, organic acids, and alkaloids comprised the majority (69 in MCd vs HCd and 73 % in LCd vs HCd) of the shared upregulated metabolites. In addition, 13 metabolites specific to H. cordata root exudates were significantly increased. The top two principal metabolic pathways were arginine and proline metabolism, and beta-alanine metabolism. H. cordata increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Glomeromycota across all three Cd levels, and also stimulated the growth of Patescibacteria, Rozellomycota, and Claroideoglomus in HCd. Accordingly, H. cordata demonstrated potential for remediation of Cd-contaminated soils, and safety measures for its production and food use must be highly considered.

Heterogeneity in breeding productivity is driven largely by factors affecting nestlings and young fledglings in an imperiled migratory passerine.

Identifying factors that drive variation in vital rates among populations is a prerequisite to understanding a species' population biology and, ultimately, to developing effective conservation strategies. This is especially true for imperiled species like the golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) that exhibit strong spatial heterogeneity in demography and responds variably to conservation interventions. Habitat management actions recommended for breeding grounds conservation include timber harvest, shrub shearing, and prescribed fire that maintain or create early successional woody communities. Herein, we assessed variation in the survival of nests [n = 145] and fledglings [n = 134] at 17 regenerating timber harvest sites within two isolated populations in Pennsylvania that differed in productivity and response to habitat management. Although the overall survival of nests and fledglings was higher in the eastern population than the central population, this was only true when the nest phases and fledgling phases were considered wholly. Indeed, survival rates of nestlings and recently fledged young (1-5 days post-fledging) were lower in the central population, whereas eggs and older fledglings (6-30 days post-fledging) survived at comparable rates in both populations. Fledglings in the central population were smaller (10% lower weight) and begged twice as much as those in the eastern population, suggesting food limitation may contribute to lower survival rates. Fledgling survival in the central population, but not the eastern, also was a function of habitat features (understory vegetation density [positive] and distance to mature forest [negative]) and individual factors (begging effort [negative]). Our findings illustrate how identifying how survival varies across specific life stages can elucidate potential underlying demographic drivers, such as food resources in this case. In this way, our work underscores the importance of studying and decomposing stage-specific demography in species of conservation concern.

Could traces of fluoroquinolones in food induce ciprofloxacin resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae? An in vivo study in Galleria mellonella with important implications for maximum residue limits in food.

We hypothesized that the residual concentrations of fluoroquinolones allowed in food (acceptable daily intake-ADIs) could select for ciprofloxacin resistance in our resident microbiota. We developed models of chronic Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in Galleria mellonella larvae and exposed them to ADI doses of ciprofloxacin via single dosing and daily dosing regimens. The emergence of ciprofloxacin resistance was assessed via isolation of the target bacteria in selective agar plates. Exposure to as low as one-tenth of the ADI dose of the single and daily dosing regimens of ciprofloxacin resulted in the selection of ciprofloxacin resistance in K. pneumoniae but not E. coli. This resistance was associated with cross-resistance to doxycycline and ceftriaxone. Whole genome sequencing revealed inactivating mutations in the transcription repressors, ramR and rrf2, as well as mutations in gyrA and gyrB. We found that ciprofloxacin doses 10-fold lower than those classified as acceptable for daily intake could induce resistance to ciprofloxacin in K. pneumoniae. These results suggest that it would be prudent to include the induction of antimicrobial resistance as a significant criterion for determining ADIs and the associated maximum residue limits in food.IMPORTANCEThis study found that the concentrations of ciprofloxacin/enrofloxacin allowed in food can induce de novo ciprofloxacin resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae. This suggests that it would be prudent to reconsider the criteria used to determine "safe" upper concentration limits in food.

Factors driving antimony accumulation in soil-pakchoi and wheat agroecosystems: Insights and predictive models

The accumulation of antimony (Sb) in plants and its potential effects on human health are of increasing concern. Nevertheless, only a few countries or regions have established soil Sb thresholds for agricultural purposes, and soil properties have not been taken into account. This study investigated the accumulation of Sb in the edible parts of pakchoi and wheat grain by adding exogenous Sb to 21 soils with varying properties. The results revealed a positive correlation between bioavailable Sb (Sbava, extracted by 0.1 M K2HPO4) in soil and Sb in the edible parts of pakchoi (R2 = 0.77, p < 0.05) and wheat grain (R2 = 0.54, p < 0.05). Both machine learning and traditional multiple regression analysis indicated Sbava was the most critical feature and the main soil properties that contributed to Sb uptake by pakchoi and wheat were CaCO3 and clay, respectively. The advisory food limits for Sb in pakchoi and wheat were estimated based on health risk assessment, and used to derive soil thresholds for safe pakchoi and wheat production based on Sbtot and Sbava, respectively. These findings hold potential for predicting Sb uptake by crops with different soil properties and informing safe production management strategies.

Glucose breath test for the detection of small intestine bacterial overgrowth: Impact of diet prior to the test.

Glucose breath test (GBT) is used for the diagnosis of small intestine bacterial overgrowth. A restrictive diet without fibers and/or fermentable food is recommended on the day before the test. The aim of our retrospective study was to evaluate the impact of two different restrictive diets on the results of GBT. A change of the pretest restrictive diet was applied in our lab on September 1, 2020. The recommended diet was a fiber-free diet before this date, and a fiber-free diet plus restriction of all fermentable food afterward. We thus compared the results of GBT performed before (group A) and after (group B) this pretest diet modification. Demographics, reasons to perform GBT, digestive symptoms, and hydrogen and methane baseline values and variations after glucose ingestion were compared between the two groups. 269 patients underwent GBT in group A, and 316 patients in group B. The two groups were comparable in terms of demographics. Methane and hydrogen baseline values were significantly higher in group A (respectively 14 [18] vs. 8 [14] ppm, p < 0.01 and 11 [14] vs. 6 [8] ppm, p < 0.01). The percentage of positive tests was higher in group A for methane (43% vs. 28%, p < 0.05), and for hydrogen (18% vs. 12%, p = 0.03). This retrospective study suggests the importance of the restrictive diet prior to GBT. A strict limitation of fibers and fermentable food decreased hydrogen and methane baseline values, and the prevalence of positive GBT. Thus a strict restrictive diet should be recommended on the day before the test, in order to limit the impact of food on hydrogen and methane breath levels, and possibly improve the diagnosis quality of GBT.

Temperature-related increase in growth rate in four freshwater lake fish species.

Growth is one of the most direct and common ways fish respond to climate change, as fish growth is intimately linked to the temperature of the environment. Observational studies on the effect of shifts in temperature on fish growth are scarce for freshwater fish, and particularly lacking for lake populations. Here, changes in growth rate of bream (Abramis brama), perch (Perca fluviatilis), pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), and roach (Rutilus rutilus) over three decades were studied and compared with changes in temperature in the two largest lakes of western Europe: Lake IJsselmeer and Lake Markermeer in the Netherlands. In the autumnal survey catches of bream, perch, and roach, the mean length of YOY increased significantly between 1992 and 2021 in both lakes, but for YOY pikeperch, no temporal changes were found. In a length-stratified dataset of age groups of bream, roach, and perch, the relationship between length and age differed significantly between time periods. In the more recent time periods, indications for higher growth rates across multiple ages were found. Temperature during the growth season increased in the same decades and showed significant correlations with the YOY mean length, for bream, perch, and roach in both lakes, and for pikeperch in Lake Markermeer. These results point toward consistent temperature-induced increases in growth over the age groups for bream, roach, and perch. These increases were found despite the simultaneous process of de-eutrophication in this water system and its potential negative effect on food production. For pikeperch, it is hypothesized that the absence of temporal increase in YOY growth rate is related to its necessary switch to piscivory and subsequent food limitation; the lower thermal range of its main prey smelt, Osmerus eperlanus, is hypothesized to have inhibited food availability for YOY pikeperch and its opportunity to achieve higher growth rates.

Health risk of heavy metals and PAHs contaminants in goat meat de-haired with waste tyres and plastic in Calabar, Nigeria

Dehairing goat meat during processing using waste car tyres and plastic is a potential route of contaminants, hence the purpose of the study. Goat meat (muscle) samples (n = 50) collected from 3 abattoirs in Calabar, Nigeria, were analysed for heavy metals and poly aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). The mean heavy metals in goat meat were: 0.20 ± 0.02 (Pb), 0.57 ± 0.06 (Cr), 4.31 ± 0.18 (Cd), 5.02 ± 0.54 (Ni), and 0.02 ± 0.01 (Co) mg/kg, with total PAH levels of 65.91 ng/g. The mean Cr, Cd, and Ni (mg/kg) in the meat were higher than the World Health Organization/Food and Agricultural Organization (WHO/FAO) acceptable limits for food. The dominant PAH was benzo (a) anthracene. Diagnostic ratios and PCA revealed pyrogenic and petrogenic sources as contributors of the PAHs in goat meat. The carcinogenic risk of Cr, Cd, Ni, anthracene, benzo (a) anthracene, and indeno [1, 2, 3, cd] pyrene in adults and children were greater than 10−4, indicating risk. Ni and benzo (a) anthracene were the most ingested contaminants and main carcinogenic sources in adults and children. Given the impending chronic health risks in the practice, there is a need for safer processing methods that do not further contaminant the meat.

Variation of the Montezuma Quail's Diet in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas

The Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) is a game bird that inhabits oak-juniper-pine savannas of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, extending its range south into montane grasslands of Mexico. The species occurs within a complex matrix of public and private rangeland in which land management regimes and habitat quality are disparate. Given that food limitation can be a driver of wildlife populations, studies of the Montezuma quail diet can inform the management of its habitat. Our objective was to determine the composition and variation of the Montezuma quail's diet in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas by macrohistological analysis of crops (n = 175) collected in 2016−2020 during winter in all three states and during spring in Texas. We used Dirichlet regression to determine the effects of ecological factors on diet composition. Winter diet in Arizona was mainly represented by woodsorrel bulbs (Oxalis spp.; 35.22% of dry weight), sedge rhizomes and bulbs (Cyperus spp.; 30.92%), and acorns (Quercus spp.; 7.17%). Winter diet in New Mexico consisted mainly of sedge bulbs (64.13%), bushbean seeds (Macroptilium sp.; 15.82%), and Hall's panicum seeds (Panicum hallii; 10.11%). Winter diet in Texas was composed of sedge rhizomes and bulbs (28.17%), Texas snoutbeans (Rhynchosia senna; 22.49), Hall's panicum seeds (19.54%), and wild onions (Allium spp.; 8.58%). Spring diet in Texas included sedge rhizomes and bulbs (67.90%), woodsorrel bulbs (19.49%), and Texas snoutbeans (5.55%). Geographic variation in diet composition was related to climatic, ecological, and intrinsic factors. For instance, in addition to being consumed by males at a higher rate, woodsorrel bulbs were also consumed at a greater rate in hotter and wetter locations. Along with novel information about the Montezuma quail diet in Texas, our investigation will stimulate questions relevant to rangeland and wildlife management, including determinants of habitat quality and the effects of climate change on wildlife populations.

Metal-organic framework-based ratiometric point-of-care testing for quantitative visual detection of nitrite

Nitrite (NO2−) is categorized as a carcinogenic substance and is subjected to severe limitations in water and food. To safeguard the public’s health, developing fast and convenient methods for determination of NO2− is of significance. Point-of-care testing (POCT) affords demotic measurement of NO2− and shows huge potential in future technology beyond those possible with traditional methods. Here, a novel ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe (Ru@MOF-NH2) is developed by integrating UiO-66-NH2 with tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) ([Ru(bpy)3]2+) through a one-pot approach. The special diazo-reaction between the amino group of UiO-66-NH2 and NO2− is responsible for the report signal (blue emission) with high selectivity and the red emission from [Ru(bpy)3]2+ offers the reference signal. The proposed probe shows obviously distinguishable color change from blue to red towards NO2− via naked-eye. Moreover, using a smartphone as the detection device to read color hue, ultra-sensitive quantitative detection of NO2− is achieved with a low limit of detection at 0.6 μΜ. The accuracy and repeatability determined in spiked samples through quantitative visualization is in the range of 105 to 117% with a coefficient of variation below 4.3%. This POCT sensing platform presents a promising strategy for detecting NO2− and expands the potential applications for on-site monitoring in food and environment safety assessment.

Quantifying the δ15N trophic offset in a cold-water scleractinian coral (CWC): implications for the CWC diet and coral δ15N as a marine N cycle proxy

Abstract. The nitrogen (N) isotope composition (δ15N) of cold-water corals is a promising proxy for reconstructing past ocean N cycling, as a strong correlation was found between the δ15N of the organic nitrogen preserved in coral skeletons and the δ15N of particulate organic matter exported from the surface ocean. However, a large offset of 8 ‰–9 ‰ between the δ15N recorded by the coral and that of exported particulate organic matter remains unexplained. The 8 ‰–9 ‰ offset may signal a higher trophic level of coral dietary sources, an unusually large trophic isotope effect or a biosynthetic δ15N offset between the coral's soft tissue and skeletal organic matter, or some combinations of these factors. To understand the origin of the offset and further validate the proxy, we investigated the trophic ecology of the asymbiotic scleractinian cold-water coral Balanophyllia elegans, both in a laboratory setting and in its natural habitat. A long-term incubation experiment of B. elegans fed on an isotopically controlled diet yielded a canonical trophic isotope effect of 3.0 ± 0.1 ‰ between coral soft tissue and the Artemia prey. The trophic isotope effect was not detectably influenced by sustained food limitation. A long N turnover of coral soft tissue, expressed as an e-folding time, of 291 ± 15 d in the well-fed incubations indicates that coral skeleton δ15N is not likely to track subannual (e.g., seasonal) variability in diet δ15N. Specimens of B. elegans from the subtidal zone near San Juan Channel (WA, USA) revealed a modest difference of 1.2 ± 0.6 ‰ between soft tissue and skeletal δ15N. The δ15N of the coral soft tissue was 12.0 ± 0.6 ‰, which was ∼6 ‰ higher than that of suspended organic material that was comprised dominantly of phytoplankton – suggesting that phytoplankton is not the primary component of B. elegans' diet. An analysis of size-fractionated net tow material suggests that B. elegans fed predominantly on a size class of zooplankton ≥500 µm, implicating a two-level trophic transfer between phytoplankton material and coral tissue. These results point to a feeding strategy that may result in an influence of the regional food web structure on the cold-water coral δ15N. This factor should be taken into consideration when applying the proxy to paleo-oceanographic studies of ocean N cycling.

Outcrossing in Caenorhabditis elegans increases in response to food limitation.

Theory predicts that organisms should diversify their offspring when faced with a stressful environment. This prediction has received empirical support across diverse groups of organisms and stressors. For example, when encountered by Caenorhabditis elegans during early development, food limitation (a common environmental stressor) induces the nematodes to arrest in a developmental stage called dauer and to increase their propensity to outcross when they are subsequently provided with food and enabled to develop to maturity. Here we tested whether food limitation first encountered during late development/early adulthood can also induce increased outcrossing propensity in C. elegans. Previously well-fed C. elegans increased their propensity to outcross when challenged with food limitation during the final larval stage of development and into early adulthood, relative to continuously well-fed (control) nematodes. Our results thus support previous research demonstrating that the stress of food limitation can induce increased outcrossing propensity in C. elegans. Furthermore, our results expand on previous work by showing that food limitation can still increase outcrossing propensity even when it is not encountered until late development, and this can occur independently of the developmental and gene expression changes associated with dauer.

Analysis of Heavy Metals and Gene Expression of African Arowana Fish (Heterotis niloticus) obtained from Igbalegbe River, Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria

Heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems can be assessed with suitable biomarkers in fish. This study was carried out to determine the concentration of heavy metals and gene expression of African Arowana Fish (Heterotis niloticus) obtained from Igbalegbe River, Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Varian 220 Fast sequential) for the metals and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the gene expression study. Results of the study showed that fishes in the downstream sectionof the river and the effluent discharge point recorded higher metal pollution Index (MPI) compared to the upstream station. The concentration of heavy metals in the fish tissue were generally within the limits of Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)/World health Organisation (WHO) except for that of Cadmium and Lead in the discharge station. The selected genes investigated were biomarkers for general stress (HSP70), xenobiotic metabolism (CYPA1), antioxidative defence (SOD), Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) respectively. The expression of the genes revealed significant variations (P&lt;0.05) in the fishes obtained from the different stations of the river. Some of the genes were down-regulated and suppressed while others were upregulated to enable the fish cope with stress while adapting to environmental pollution. Changes in biomarkers can therefore be considered as early signals of stress in the selected fish species.

Starvation differentially affects gene expression, immunity and pathogen susceptibility across symbiotic states in a model cnidarian.

Mutualistic symbioses between cnidarians and photosynthetic algae are modulated by complex interactions between host immunity and environmental conditions. Here, we investigate how symbiosis interacts with food limitation to influence gene expression and stress response programming in the sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida (Aiptasia). Transcriptomic responses to starvation were similar between symbiotic and aposymbiotic Aiptasia; however, aposymbiotic anemone responses were stronger. Starved Aiptasia of both symbiotic states exhibited increased protein levels of immune-related transcription factor NF-κB, its associated gene pathways, and putative target genes. However, this starvation-induced increase in NF-κB correlated with increased immunity only in symbiotic anemones. Furthermore, starvation had opposite effects on Aiptasia susceptibility to pathogen and oxidative stress challenges, suggesting distinct energetic priorities under food scarce conditions. Finally, when we compared starvation responses in Aiptasia to those of a facultative coral and non-symbiotic anemone, 'defence' responses were similarly regulated in Aiptasia and the facultative coral, but not in the non-symbiotic anemone. This pattern suggests that capacity for symbiosis influences immune responses in cnidarians. In summary, expression of certain immune pathways-including NF-κB-does not necessarily predict susceptibility to pathogens, highlighting the complexities of cnidarian immunity and the influence of symbiosis under varying energetic demands.

Ca-oxalate crystals are involved in cadmium storage in a high Cd accumulating cultivar of cacao

Cadmium (Cd) concentrations in cacao often exceed food limits. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Cd accumulation in cacao trees is necessary to advance Cd mitigation strategies. This study explores Cd distribution and speciation (i.e., chemical form) within the vegetative organs of a high Cd accumulating cacao cultivar growing in soil with background Cd concentrations (0.28 mg Cd kg−1) by synchrotron radiation-based micro- and nano-X-ray fluorescence imaging and X-ray absorption spectroscopy on duplicate samples of roots, young branches, mature branches, and leaves. In both the roots and branches, the incorporation of Cd in Ca-oxalate crystals with binding to oxygen-ligands was identified as a major mechanism of Cd regulation. The Ca-oxalate crystals were more abundant in the branches than in the roots. We suggest that the incorporation of Cd into the Ca-oxalate crystals may limit the transfer of Cd to other organs like the leaves and beans. The roots also featured Cd-sulfur species in dilated cells of the wood, probably for the retention of Cd in the roots by strong binding with Cd to thiol-containing ligands. A Cd hotspot in large, secreting channels of the branches suggested that mucilage may play a role in the transport of Cd within cacao trees. The leaves had local Cd enrichments in the parenchymatous tissues and displayed a higher Cd concentration in the mesophyll compared to the epidermis. These insights in Cd distribution and speciation underscore that Theobroma cacao L. develops original Cd detoxification strategies, strongly different from non-tolerant species such as cereals.

Analysis of Heavy Metal Pollution Evaluation and Correlation of Farmland Soil and Vegetables in Zhaotong City

A farmland area in Zhaotong City was taken as the research object， and the method of point-to-point collaborative sampling was used to collect farmland soil and vegetables in Zhaotong and test the content of six heavy metals， namely As， Pb， Cu， Zn， Cd， and Cr. The geo-accumulation index and potential ecological risk index were used to evaluate the heavy metal pollution of soil. The health risk model was used to evaluate the risk to the human body imposed by vegetables. The results showed that Cu， Zn， Pb， Cd， and Cr pollution existed in the research area. Compared with the risk screening value of farmland， the over-standard rates were 34.35%， 6.87%， 2.29%， 80.15%， and 6.11%， respectively； Pb， Cd， and Cr were found in vegetables. Compared with the pollutant limit in food， the over-standard rates were 6.87%， 15.27%， and 36.64%， respectively. According to the soil pollution evaluation， Cd in the soil showed a strong ecological risk， and other heavy metals in the soil showed a mild ecological risk. The human health risk evaluation model showed that both non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk were out of the acceptable range and had a greater influence on children. Correlation analysis showed that As in the soil had an antagonistic effect on Cu and Zn absorption by vegetables， whereas Cr in the soil could promote Cu and Zn absorption by vegetables.

Effect of Gas Flaring on Human Well-Being and Environment in Obodo-Ugwa, Ndokwa West, Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria

This study investigates the effect of gas flaring on human wellbeing and environment in Obodo-ugwa, Ndokwa West LGA, Delta State. The study used primary and secondary source of data. Water samples from wells, river and boreholes and soil samples were collected and analyzed using standard procedure. Landsat images for the years 2003, 2013 and 2023 were obtained from United States Geological Survey (USGS) online resources to assess the impact of oil spill on biodiversity (vegetation) using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in ARCGIS 10.6. The study administered 232 copies of questionnaires to compliment the data. The result of the findings revealed that the mean surface water (river) turbidity 16.00 NTU was 11.5% above the NSDWQ standard of 5.0., while the DO was 3.3% higher than the NSDWQ standard. The Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) for Well water (A and B), borehole, and the river water were 9.8mg/L (96%), 9.9mg/L (98%), 7.7mg/L (54%) and 10.2mg/L (104%) higher than the Nigeria Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) and World Health Organization (WHO) Standard. For Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), all water sources were above both the WHODWQ and NSDWQ. The soil analysis revealed manganese 4.53mg/kg (7.60%) above the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) limits of 4.21kg/kg, copper 7.60mg/kg (111.11%) above the 3.60mg/kg FAO limit. The NDVI result shows 80% deterioration vegetation health including farm land as only patches of healthy vegetation on the periphery as evident from 2003, 2013 and 2023 where the highest greenness index ranged from 0.26 to 0.34 in 2023, indicating that over the period of study, the forest in these areas have been degraded to mere shrubs. The study recommend that the Federal Government should enforce existing laws and provide alternative energy source to mitigate the effect of gas flaring on the people and salvage the environment.

Growth patterns and optimum habitat of Larimichthys crocea throughout ontogenesis based on a bioenergetics model

Larimichthys crocea was one of the most common commercially harvested fish in the East China Sea before the 1980 s, while overfishing and habitat degradation have contributed to the collapse of this resource. Sansha Bay is an important spawning and nursery ground for L. crocea, where an enhancement and release program has been implemented to recover wild L. crocea stocks. It is also a well-known mariculture base in southeast China, especially for L. crocea. In this study, a growth model of L. crocea based on bioenergetics was developed to investigate crucial periods for survival, effects of variations in temperature and food density, and suitable habitat of L. crocea during its first year. The results show that the Min-Yuedong stock of L. crocea has two critical growth periods: summer (affected by food limitations) and winter (affected by cooler water temperatures). In early life, L. crocea showed greater sensitivity to variations in temperature than to variations in food density, whereas food density had a greater influence on the growth of L. crocea later in life. The model-estimated suitable habitat for L. crocea varied ontogenetically. Compared to outside the bay, L. crocea preferred the environment of the inner bay, where its habitat and migration routes were historically located. However, this area is highly impacted by anthropogenic activities. Based on limited data, we developed the growth model of L. crocea for the first time and described suitable habitat for L. crocea during the first year based on water temperature and prey conditions. This may have implications for the selection of L. crocea release sites and cessation of excessive mariculture in Sansha Bay.

A critical analysis of challenges and opportunities for upcycling food waste to animal feed to reduce climate and resource burdens

Global food loss and waste has not abated despite tremendous efforts to reduce it. Food wastage has profound consequences including our inability to combat hunger, contributions to unsustainable resource exploitation, and represents about half of the greenhouse gas emissions of the entire agrifood system. Mitigating the problems for a sustainable future requires managing food waste using the most appropriate approach. Upcycling food waste to animal feed is an essential strategy to capture the greatest value compared with other recycling options. The overall goal of this critical analysis is to provide evidence that upcycling of many food waste sources to animal feed can be successfully achieved in support of sustainable productivity. We describe multiple dimensions of reducing emissions and improving resource utilization efficiency, characterize the suitability of various food waste sources and limitations as animal feed, and describe the needs for de-risking strategies, overcoming legislative bottlenecks, and filling knowledge gaps to accelerate greater use of this high impact sustainability strategy.

Arsenic Exposure and Amyloid Precursor Protein Processing: A Focus on Alzheimer's Disease.

Arsenic is present in above permissible safe limits in groundwater, soil, and food, in various areas of the world. This is increasing exposure to humankind and affecting health in various ways. Alternation in cognition is one among them. Epidemiological research has reflected the impact of arsenic exposure on children in the form of diminished cognition. Considering this fact, the present study reviewed the impact of arsenic on amyloid precursor protein, which is known to cause one of the commonest cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The present study reviews the arsenic role in the generation of amyloid-beta from its precursor that leads to Alzheimer's disease through the published article from Pubmed and Scopus. According to the findings, regular, long-term exposure to arsenic beginning in infancy changes numerous arsenic level-regulating regions in the rat brain, which are related to cognitive impairments. Arsenic also affects the BBB clearance route by increasing RAGE expression. Arsenic triggers the proamyloidogenic pathway by increasing APP expression and subsequently, its processing by β-secretase and presenilin. Arsenic also affects mitochondrial dynamics, DNA repair pathway and epigenetic changes. The mechanism behind all these changes is explained in the present review article. A raised level of arsenic exposure affects the amyloid precursor protein, a factor for the early precipitation of Alzheimer's disease.